Recycling or repurpose of waste has been coming into the spotlight as the planet shifting to the greenery way of life. Recycling of the used substances is not a new invention. It is the concept of the ninth century of japan where it was practiced by our ancestors. By understanding the importance of every wastage, people are asked to drop the wastage into separate containers i.e, the reusable things should be dropped into their own containers. We can take many things to reuse them like paper, plastic, aluminum, glass, etc. And also household kitchen wastage can be used as fertilizers for gardening purposes. As the world taking a step ahead towards green life, instead of using chemicals, food scraps can be composted and used as fertilizers. They turn the soil to healthy and nutritious.
In this subject, if we go deeper into it, eggshells can be repurposed for gardening. This is not any modern invention. It is from the old myths coming from ancient times.
After breaking the eggs we throw the shells into the trash. Instead of it, after cracking them we can reuse them for gardening purposes. We have to wash the broken shells with cold water and should let them dry until the smell goes from it. They have calcium in it which gives the soil a good strength. It consists of 40% of carbonate, 0.4% of nitrogen, 0.4% of magnesium and other microelements such as Boron, Copper, Iron, Molybdenum, Manganese, Silicon, Sulfur, Zinc, etc. In total there are 27 elements containing in the eggshells. These elements make soil fertilize and gives strength to grow properly.
Different ways of using eggshells:
Eggshells can be used as the pot in the starting process of the planting. Then plant this seedling pot in the soil so that a good amount of calcium will be inhaled by the seed and it grows healthier way better than normal process.
Crush the cleaned eggshells and add them at the bottom of the soil i.e, at the ground of the garden. In this grounded soil-plant the seeds especially tomatoes, eggplant, peppers. These crops usually get calcium deficiency because of improper watering to the plants. When these seeds are planted in the soil containing eggshells, these eggshells break in the soil and distribute calcium to the soil. By this process the soil gets nourish and as well as plants grow with good nourishment.
In the process of reusing we usually use the wasted food for composition and will give the composite pile as feed to the soil to grow the plants. In the composite pile, if we mix the crushed eggshells, it will give a good amount of calcium to the pile so that it can be used as feed to the crops, etc.
To get rid of calcium deficiency we use chemicals contained fertilizers to fertilize the plants, crops, etc. Instead of using chemicals like fertilizers, we can use eggshells for fertilizing. Cleaned eggshells should be smoothly blended into powder and should mix it with vinegar in a 1:1 ratio (i.e, 1 spoon of powder and 1 spoon of vinegar). This paste should be mixed in the water(for 5 liters of water we can mix 1 cup of the mixture into it) and can be used for fertilization of plants and crops. This gives a good amount of nourishment to the plant. And also this mixture will work in the form of pesticides too.
Apart from the planting process the main problem comes with the slugs, cutworms, and snails. These creepers do not like slithering ad sharp substances around them as they are soft in nature. To get rid of these creepers from the plants, we can mix coarsely crushed eggshells with the soil as they are sharp. This process helps in deterring these pests from the plants.
Apart from the plants, these shells calcium can be served for birds too. Birds also need calcium mainly the female birds particularly those who are ready for giving birth to a child (laying eggs) need calcium. Crushed eggshells can be mixed up with the food and can be used for feeding them to get rid of calcium deficiency.
Tips for using the eggshells:
Eggs using for eggshells should not be covered with the plastic cover or should not use the eggs brought in the polythene trays. Eggs from paper trays and handmade paper trays only should be used.
To dry the eggshells, they should not be baked and also should not be stored in a closed container. They should be stored in an open container itself.
Eggshells does not breakdown easily as soon as mixed with the water. They should be only mixed with the acidic soil, where acid will break the eggshells.
Do not use these raw eggshells as feed for deers and cats as they do not like raw eggs smell.
If any plant is in the stage of calcium deficiency (like tomato plant), pluck out the destroyed fruit from the plant and add eggshells mixture as fertilizer. So that the whole plant does not affect the deficiency.
