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Raw egg as fertilizer


Whole Eggs As Fertilizer - Information About Raw Egg Fertilizer

Soil, Fixes & Fertilizers

By: Bonnie L. Grant, Certified Urban Agriculturist

Image by ninode

Soil amendment is necessary in almost every garden. Low macro and micro-nutrients cause problems like blossom end rot, chlorosis and low fruit production. Organic gardeners like to turn to natural products for answers to common nutrient problems. Using eggs as a fertilizer is an old trick, but it can have some unpleasant secondary effects. Raw egg fertilizer may not be the best way to introduce calcium to your plants, but the shells are a bona fide true winner in the garden.

Fertilizing with Raw Eggs

Our grandparents didn’t have access to the modern formulations for soil amendment and instead relied upon composting to boost soil fertility and tilth. We can take a page from their book and learn how to reuse our refuse and give back to the soil naturally. A time honored tradition is to place a raw, uncracked egg in the bottom of a planting hole for tomatoes. It has its benefits and its drawbacks as we will see.

Benefits of Using Whole Eggs as Fertilizer

Eggs contain high levels of calcium. This is an important nutrient for plants, especially vegetables and fruits. Eggs will leach the calcium into the soil for root uptake during composting, which can conquer such problems as blossom end rot. However, excess nitrogen and low pH will tie up calcium in soil, preventing uptake.

Using eggs as a fertilizer imparts calcium but it isn’t useful if the plant can’t access the nutrient. Always check your soil pH before planting a new garden and minimize the amount of nitrogen you introduce to soil after buds start to form.

Potential Downsides to Raw Egg Fertilizer

One obvious problem to fertilizing with raw eggs is the smell. If you don’t bury the egg deep enough, over time it will begin to stink. Additionally, using whole eggs as fertilizer can attract unwanted pests. Raccoons and rodents will be attracted to the odor and dig out your baby plants in an effort to get to the potential food source.

Whole eggs as plant fertilizer aren’t the quickest way for your plants to get calcium because they take a while to break down. A better source is just from the shells, which are the main concentration of the nutrient. Use the eggs and save the shells for a quicker, less smelly way to keep your veggies from dropping blossoms.

How to Use Eggs as Plant Fertilizer

In order to avoid issues with fertilizing with raw eggs, just use the shells. These are usually discarded after the egg itself is cooked but carry a calcium charge for your soil. Simply crush the shells and mix them into soil.

Another way to use eggshells is to boil them and water with the resulting liquid. This prevents the issues raised about raw egg fertilizer while still enhancing the soil. The University of Minnesota performed a test using distilled water and boiled eggshells. The resulting water had increased levels of calcium and potassium, both of which benefit plants, especially those that flower and fruit. Using the water to irrigate plants provides an easy way for roots to access these nutrients.

You can also make a foliar spray so leaves will draw the nutrients into the vascular system to utilize both elements. So eat your eggs, save your shells and fix your soil for bigger, better vegetable crops.

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Using eggs in the garden – 5 expert tips

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(Image credit: GettyImages)

Whether dealing with weeds, pests, or just looking for an organic way to nourish your plants – using eggs in the garden is the perfect solution. 

While eggs are a popular staple in many of our diets, it is less common to consider what we do with waste, such as eggshells or out-of-date produce. However, experts are urging us to take them out of your kitchen trash and into the forefront of your garden ideas, where we can enjoy a host of benefits beyond their expiry. 

Using eggs in the garden – 5 ways to take their natural benefits outside

While we wouldn't suggest that you should expect miracles from your old eggshells, you can use them to deter pests and nourish your flower bed ideas.

'Eggs can be used in many ways in the garden. They can be added to compost bins to add nutrients,' says garden landscaper Melody Estes from The Project Girl . 'They can be used as organic fertilizer by mixing them with dirt or sand and adding them around your plants.' Plus, if you're wondering how to add calcium to soil, this staple experts suggest using crushed egg shells to balance your soil's pH and promote healthy plant growth. 

And, their benefits don't end there Here's everything you need to know about their organic power. 

1. Add crushed eggshells in your soil

(Image credit: GettyImages)

Perhaps the most common way to use eggs in your garden is through eggshells in your soil. These shells contain calcium, as well as traces of other elements, including magnesium and phosphorus – great for adding nutrients to your soil and compost. 

Having said that, most soil in North America is already rich in calcium, so you may not need to add any more. Also, if you add egg to acidic soil, then the calcium won't be absorbed by your plants. In fact, you may end up with excess nitrogen in your soil, which will do more harm than good. Therefore, it is worth doing a simple PH check of your soil to see whether you should be adding eggs.  

2. Using eggs to prevent blossom end rot

Some people recommend adding eggs to the base of plants prone to blossom end rot, especially tomatoes and zucchini. However, what people don't know is that blossom end rot mainly affects first-year blossoms. 

If you're still experiencing problems the second year in, then it's time to give eggshells a chance to do their calcium-enhancing magic. You can also try companion planting to reduce all kinds of problems with tomatoes and other plants.

3. Using eggshells as mulch

(Image credit: GettyImages)

Eggshells make for excellent mulch, helping plants retain moisture and repel weeds. You do need quite a lot of eggshells to make enough mulch, though, so you will need to get whipping up those cakes and omelets to build up a large enough store of shells.

4. Using eggs to deter pests

Opinion is divided on whether eggshells repel slugs, beetles, and other insects you don't want near your plants. The mechanism with repelling slugs is clear enough: the sharp edges of crushed eggshell cut slugs, so they avoid them. 

In reality, this only works if your eggshells stay dry. Watering and rain will both interfere with this hack from working – so it is one to try on dry days or try another method instead.

5. Using eggshells to feed wild birds

(Image credit: Photo by Rotem Vazan on Unsplash)

This is arguably the best use of eggs in the garden. Wild birds that visit our gardens are often calcium-deficient and will eat small bits of crushed eggshells as a supplement. For that reason alone, it's well worth scattering crushed eggshells in your garden. 

So, while you may already have the right plants for birds, it is also worth remembering them when getting rid of your egg shells post dinnertime. 

Can you put raw eggs in your garden? 

Yes, you can put raw eggs in your garden. As Melody Estes explains, raw eggs are high in protein and encourage your plants to grow stronger. 'They are also a good source of nitrogen, which helps break down organic matter and feed the soil,' the expert says.

However, she adds that it's important to note that you should never use raw meat or fish products in your garden, as these can attract pests to your plants. Though, if you are looking for another organic solution for your plants, experts recommend using orange peel to deter pests and regain control over your garden. 

What can you do with expired eggs? 

Expired eggs can be used in your garden as a natural fertilizer. To do so, the expert suggests breaking the eggs into small pieces before mixing them with soil. However, you should let the mixture sit for a few days before adding it to your garden.

'This will allow the egg white to break down and become part of the soil, which will help promote growth in your plants,' Melody says. 'You can also use expired eggs as mulch around your plants. This will help keep weeds from growing and also prevent them from being watered too much by rain or irrigation systems.'

(Image credit: GettyImages)

What happens when you put an egg in soil? 

When you put an egg in soil, it will be broken down by microbes, Melody explains.

'This decomposition process begins with anaerobic bacteria breaking down the egg white and albumen. The yolk is more resistant to decomposition, but if it is left in the soil for longer than two weeks, it will also begin to decompose.'

Should I use whole raw egg or crushed eggshells?

Using a whole raw egg in the garden is a bit of a waste of an egg – all the nutrients needed for plants and/or wildlife are in the eggshells.  

'Raw egg fertilizer may not be the best way to introduce calcium to your plants', writes Certified Urban Agriculturalist Bonnie L. Grant for Gardeningknowhow . Use the eggshells instead – and bake them to disinfect them if using to feed birds.

Anna Cottrell is Consumer Editor across Future Plc Home titles. She has a background in academic research and is the author of London Writing of the 1930s. She writes about interior design, property, and gardening .On H&G, she specializes in writing about property – buying, selling, renting, mortgages – sustainability and eco issues.

raw egg for fertilizer and feeding of plants in the garden: the advantages of the method

Content

Organic fertilizers are plant and wildlife materials. They are much safer to use than mineral or chemical compounds. When rotting, they completely decompose, replenishing the supply of minerals in the fertile layer, emit carbon dioxide, which is necessary for photosynthesis.

Bacteria actively multiply in the enriched soil, accelerating the development of the rhizome and the growth of the plant. More often, manure, bird droppings, compost (humus) or peat are used for top dressing. But eggs are also organics that have a beneficial effect on the growth and development of plants.

Eggshell as a fertilizer - benefits and harms

Using self-prepared top dressing, they solve 2 tasks at once - they dispose of garbage and introduce minerals into the soil. The composition of the shell: calcium, sulfur, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, chromium, zinc, fluorine, molybdenum, iodine, manganese, as well as rare trace elements - cobalt and molybdenum.

Egg shell benefits:

You can feed not only horticultural crops, but also houseplants. The minus of organics of this species is an unpleasant smell during decay.

Attention!

Shell fertilizers are not suitable for plants that need acidic soil to thrive. This group includes zucchini, spinach, cucumbers.

Whole eggs are also used as top dressing. Useful and harmful properties of such a fertilizer correspond to those described, but the effectiveness of the impact increases. When proteins and yolks rot, hydrogen sulfide is released, which loosens the soil near the roots. It becomes easier for the plant to "breathe" and absorb nutrients.

How to make organic egg top dressing

Back in Ancient Rus', when planting trees in a hole dug for a seedling, 10-20 eggs (fresh and rotten) were laid in 2 levels, burying no deeper than 20 cm. The tree quickly took root and began fruit within a year. Since the method is expensive, it is currently remembered only for the purpose of familiarization.

Florists who grow flowers on the windowsill to revive a drooping plant use egg whites as organic matter. Fill with water in the proportion of 1 piece: 0.5 l of water, remove the container for 5-7 days in a dark place (at a temperature of 18-20 ° C), then dilute in a ratio of 1:5. Such top dressing revives not only indoor plants, it is able to bring to life drying nightshade - tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes. The solution is watered under the root, sometimes the lower leaves are treated.

Note!

If home flowers were watered, it is better to put pots in a back room. They smell bad. In the garden, in the open air, the stench lasts only a few hours. Egg white does not alkalize the soil.

Recipes with shells

However, shells are used more often than eggs. You don't need to bury it completely. To get the maximum amount of nutrients into the soil, organic fertilizer should be prepared. The shells are dried, kneaded into powder, crushed or ground into flour.

The action is enhanced with additional ingredients:

  1. When it is required to significantly reduce the acidity of the soil, mixed with limestone or crushed chalk (1:1), and then diluted with water to the consistency of liquid sour cream.
  2. If the stems are weak, the root system is poorly developed, wood ash is used as an additional ingredient - 1:2. It is not necessary to dilute the mixture, it is enough to spread a thin layer over the problem areas and ensure regular watering for 1 month.
  3. Humus or chicken manure will help to strengthen the root system. The ingredients are mixed in equal amounts. Apply organic top dressing in the same way as the composition from recipe No. 3. Only you need to water not daily, but 2 times a week.

Note!

Eggshell liquid fertilizer is used for indoor flowers and seedlings, which are later planted in the garden.

To prepare an organic top dressing, fill a glass jar with shell powder to 2/3, fill it with warm water, infuse in a warm dark place, shaking daily until foam appears. Bred in a bucket of water. After the liquid is drained, the sediment can be refilled.

Pest control

To protect against slugs and aphids, the prepared powder is mixed in equal amounts with garden pitch. Spray the lower surfaces of the sheets and damaged areas. At first it may seem that there will be more insects, but then they will begin to die and the plant will recover.

To get rid of the unpleasant smell of self-prepared fertilizer, rinse the shell before drying. But it’s better not to do this - there is a high amount of useful substances in the protein residues and the film from the inner surface.

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Author Olga Ivanovna

In order to get a good harvest, many gardeners prefer natural fertilizers. We will tell you about an unusual natural fertilizer. We are talking about a raw egg that you can "plant" in the ground. This method is also convenient because you can use expired eggs for it.

Why eggs are used in the garden

Eggs are buried in the ground as a natural fertilizer. If the egg shell dissolves slowly in the compost, then the egg will dissolve faster in the ground. In addition, you can pierce the shell a little with a knife to speed up the dissolution process. Then the egg will saturate your plants with useful nutrients faster.

This natural fertilizer is very good for feeding vegetables. In fact, everything that eggs are useful for humans is also beneficial for garden crops. Egg yolk contains large amounts of nutrients, and the shell contains calcium, which is an excellent fertilizer for any plant.

How to use them correctly

First, choose a place in your garden where you would like to use the eggs as fertilizer. It is important to take into account the characteristics of the soil, as well as what crops you want to grow on a particular site. When you have decided on a place, you can start "planting" the egg.

In the same way, you can "plant" an egg in a normal flower pot. First, fill the pot with soil a few centimeters high. Then place a raw egg on the surface of the soil. You can also put a banana peel next to it. This is especially true if you are going to grow tomatoes. Next, cover the egg with earth, and then add the seeds. To do this, make indentations in the ground with a pointed object and place the seeds in the indentations. You can be sure that the egg will not give off bad odors, as hydrogen sulfide is usually absorbed by the earth.

How to use eggshells

Let's start by making seedling pots out of whole eggshell halves. In such a natural pot, young seedlings will germinate much better.

Eggshells can also be washed, broken into large pieces and scattered around plants. The shell is an excellent barrier to slugs and snails.

Alternatively, the shells can be dried well first, then crushed into a powder and mixed with the soil. The calcium contained in the eggshell nourishes the soil. In this case, in insufficiently acidic soil, the pH level normalizes.

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