Eggshells

Eggshells - Decomposition Study - Garden Myths

-CALCIUM is also essential for building healthy cell walls of a plant; Composed of calcium carbonate( is insoluble in water) ggshell MAY help introduce this mineral to the soil

-Studies have showed the outer layer of eggshells were fully intact even after 5+ years in the soil - this suggest eggs don’t decompose ( or take a long time to do so ) in the soil rather break down into smaller fragments do to a number of factors.

❗️ Charles C. Mitchell, Extension Agronomist-Soils at Auburn University , tested crushed eggshells in soil :

•crushed egg shells do NOT change the pH or add calcium to the soil

•The one exception where eggshells do break down is very finely ground eggshells added to acidic soil but even this doesn’t have a significant effect on the nutrient levels

❗️Eggshells are essentially calcium carbonate which dissolves in acids, but not in alkaline solutions

❗️eggshells stop affecting soil pH when it is around 6.8 (this is when eggshells stop breaking down - not acidic enough)

-🥚Water Soluble Calcium solution using Eggshells:

•You’ll need a small amount of white vinegar to convert the insoluble (calcium carbonate) to the soluble (calcium). Then you simply add the solution to the water that you normally use to water your plants.

•White vinegar contains about 3% acetic acid. When the acetic acid reacts with the calcium carbonate, you’re left with water-soluble calcium, water, and carbon dioxide

❗️ the calcium in the eggshells effectively neutralizes the pH of the vinegar

❗️for each gallon use 2 TBS of eggshell powder mixed with 2 TBS white vinegar (1:1)