Oftentimes, calcium remains immobile in plants once it’s absorbed rather than going to the areas where it’s needed. Amending soil with eggshells or watering with eggshell tea help remedy this issue, as well. The most direct method for using eggshells for your tomato plants is to put them right into the compost or soil .
One way to consider this is you can also place egg shells at the surface of your tomato plants as well. These shell pieces can be left a bit larger, and for good reason . By placing egg shell pieces around the main stem of your plant (a few inches out from the stem), it will protect your plant from slugs crawling up the base.
Here is what my research found. the calcium provided by eggshells aids the tomato plant in regulating its water supply, thus helping to stave off rot . And that’s not all calcium does. This super mineral reinforces the cell walls of the plant.
My answer is spreading shards of eggshells atop the soil right around the base of the plant can help ward off snails and slugs, acting as a pointy physical barrier against the slimy little bugs. Eggshell-based fertilizer and eggshell tea aren’t just for tomatoes .
How do you transplant eggshell Tomatoes?
When you transplant them, you can transplant the seedling AND the eggshell (which you’ll bury directly into the soil). Whenever you start your tomato plants, clean out eggshells, leaving most of the shell intact . Place potting soil in the shell, and then insert your tomato seed .
Can you start tomato seeds in eggshell half holes?
If you do decide to start your tomato seeds in eggshell halves, you will need to transplant them out incredibly quickly. The tall stems of emerging tomato plants will fast outgrow the tiny eggshell container.
Can you put crushed tomato shells in the garden?
When the shells are crushed and layered on top of the soil around your tomatoes, they perform the same job as any store-bought mulch. Wash the shells thoroughly before sending them out into the garden. Any residue can attract a variety of pests (including pesky slugs).
How do you use eggshells as fertilizer?
Add the broken shells to the soil before you sow seeds or place plants, and the shells will naturally break down over time, delivering calcium, phosphorus and potassium directly to the plant’s roots. This is a slow process, though, so consider eggshells in the soil a sort of fertilizer for next year’s plants.
You could be wondering “What happens to eggshells in the garden?”
The most usefull answer is, calcium is an essential mineral, and it aids plant development by helping them form healthy, strong cell walls. Without calcium, your plants will experience lags and slow growth, and could die in the long-run. As you can imagine, since we have so many ducks and chickens, we have a LOT of eggshells, and it’s a shame to just throw them away.