Some say that the benefits of putting eggshells in your garden beneath young plants is a myth – a waste of time. I, however, will continue to “waste time†and will absolutely put some crushed eggshells in the ground when I plant my tomatoes. I tried that last summer for the first time and I never picked a single tomato with that black end rot on the bottom. That was a first. I also had the highest yield of tomatoes (all 4 plants) ever.
So, I have begun the process of saving eggshells. By April, I should have plenty in the till.
Southern Living doesn’t think that eggshells are a myth. They heartily endorse the use of the shells. Eggshells, they say, provide all the calcium carbonate the soil needs to lower the soil’s pH level and create a more alkaline environment. I think my soil is acidic, which is why the eggshells were so beneficial.
Many plants besides tomatoes also love calcium carbonate as it helps keep the soil’s pH at optimal levels to encourage their growth and long life. Calcium carbonate also helps to strengthen the cell walls of plants, which encourages vigorous growth. But it’s not only the leafy parts of plants or the fruit they bear that benefit from the calcium carbonate. The mineral also encourages root growth, helping to strengthen the roots so they can grow at a faster rate.
Another side benefit is that deer are repelled by the lasting scent of rotting eggs and tend to stay away.
Some backyard gardeners create an eggshell water by a boiling process, but I am going to stick with what worked for me – dropping a few tablespoons of crushed eggshells in the ground when I plant my young tomatoes.
Cheer up, Humpty Dumpty. Here’s your chance to shine!