If you’re like me then, you probably want to make the best use of potential kitchen waste. Things like eggshells, coffee grounds and banana peels are said fertilize your garden and boost the growth of your plant.
However, there are few people who discard use of eggshells in garden calling it a myth.
Well, by end of this article you’ll come to a conclusion to use or just throw away leftover eggshells.
But, a brief answer for your query: are eggshells good for basil plants?
According this site, NPK ratio of eggshells is 1.19, 0.38 and 0.14 respectively. Apart from this, eggshell is renowned for its calcium elements. Adding powdered eggshells around the base of the basil plant will help to increase calcium ability of the soil and neutralize acidic soil. (1, 2)
Soft inner white shell is the organic matter that contains nitrogen. This nutritional element helps your basil plant to improve its foliage.
How Eggshells Can Benefit Your Garden?
Using leftover scraps will help to minimize environmental pollution. Instead of throwing eggshells after making your dish, you can readily use it to fertilize your basil plant.
Eggshell contains 34 percent of calcium, 0.3 percent of magnesium, 0.04 percent of phosphorus and 0.03 percent of potassium in it.
- Apart from this NPK ratio listed above, will help the basil plant to produce attractive foliage.
- Organic matter in eggshell will be helped to increase nitrogen ratio in the soil, which will be used to increase basil leaves.
- Adding eggshell powder to your basil plant will help to regulate pH of the garden soil.
Note: Because, it takes long time to decompose eggshells. You must add powdered eggshells around the base of the plant and water generously.
Also Read: Are Eggshells Good for Cucumbers?
How to Use Eggshells for Basil Plants?
To get benefitted from this amazing leftover that would otherwise go in trash, you must certainly know proper way to use it.
As mentioned earlier, eggshells container 34% of calcium and bunch of trace nutrients. If you think burring eggshells in your garden soil will help to reap it’s nutritional elements, then you’re wrong.
Eggshells are hard to decompose, even in compost bin it takes years to decompose. So, how can you utilize its nutrients to your plant?
There are two ways to use eggshells for basil plants.
Before that you must powder eggshells:
- Wash eggshells to remove white remains.
- Dry eggshells for 3-4 days, so that it completely dries and will not attract any infection when added to garden.
- Break dried eggshells into small pieces.
- Use blender to obtainer pulverized eggshells.
#1 Add Eggshell Powder to Compost Bin
Calcium, phosphorus, potassium and organic matter residing in powdered eggshells will be transferred to compost bin through decomposition process.
In the course of time, microbes and bacteria help in decomposing eggshell powder.
You can use this compost to fertilize your basil plant.
Also Read this: Growing Basil Microgreens
#2 Add Eggshell Powder at Base of Basil Plant
Instead of adding eggshells to compost bin, you can directly spread the pulverized eggshells around the basil plant.
Water generously and make sure the plant gets enough sunlight.
Slowly, the decomposition starts and roots of your basil plant will readily accept nutrients added to it.
#3 Add Pulverized Eggshells to Potting Soil
While planting your basil plant in a container or pot, add 1-2 tablespoons of blended eggshell powder to the potting soil and mix thoroughly.
Along with perlite, compost and garden soil, this eggshell powder will contribute in healthy growth of your basil plant.
Note: Adding eggshells to potting soil will not improve drainage of your growing medium.
Can Eggshells for Basil Plants Avoid Slugs and Snails?
Though there are claims that placing broken eggshells pieces around the plant will avoid slugs, this isn’t true.
To fight slugs you must try other methods.
Must Read: How to Save Basil Plant from Dying?
Is It a Gardening Myth?
After reading above reports, I don’t think anyone would discard benefits of eggshells for garden as a myth.
However, there are few exaggerating claims.
Definitely, eggshells can’t substitute regular fertilizers used for vegetable plants.
Keeping your surrounding free from pollution is the first benefit of using eggshells in your garden.
Apart from this, it contains calcium and other nutrients that will help your plant to thrive.
- Anyways, eggshells can’t avoid slugs and snails, as mentioned above.
- Adding eggshells powder will not improve drainage of your garden soil.
- Starting seeds in eggshell will not contribute in quick sprouting or growing of seedlings. Moreover, most gardeners don’t recommend growing seeds in eggshells.
- Adding eggshell powder to your garden soil will not prevent blossom end rot.
- Eggshells may not be effective in controlling pests.
- There are claims that eggshell powder can form best mulch around the plant. But, I think it’s difficult to make a 2 inch layered eggshell powder with few eggshells in your kitchen. Just to make a cup of eggshell powder, you must have 150 eggs.
Also Read: Why Should I Cut Off Yellow Leaves on Tomato Plants?
Few Homemade Fertilizers for Basil Plants
When you grow vegetables in your backyard or container, they extract nutrients from soil and use it to produce blossoms, foliage and fruits. Apart from this, overwatering will drain nutrients in the soil.
You must fertilize your plant regularly, so that it gets enough nutrients to thrive.
Basil plant is grown for its aromatic foliage. These leaves are packed with medicinal properties that can reduce many health ailments.
So, the fertilizer you choose must be rich in nitrogen. This is how the plant can produce more fresh green foliage.
- Spent tea leaves, which is often regarded as waste can benefit your basil plant. It is rich in nitrogen and can contribute in healthy foliage.
- Fruit peels that are discarded as waste contains macro and micro nutrients that can benefit your basil plant. Bury small pieces of fruit peels in the garden soil. It will slowly release necessary nutrients to your plant.
- You can also make liquid fertilizer using fruit peels.
- Use liquid seaweed by adding 1 tbsp of seaweed in 1 gallon of water. It will acts as liquid fertilizer for your plant.
You can also use organic fertilizers available in the market.
Best way to fertilize your vegetable plants including basil is to have compost bin. As the time goes you’ll have your own black gold to feed your edible plants.
Conclusion
Don’t use eggshells directly on basil plants. You must dry, break and blend them.
Spread the powdered eggshells around the base of the basil plant. Also, cover the powder with a layer of garden soil. Water generously.
Second option is to add blended eggshells to compost bin. Did you ever used eggshells to fertilize basil plant?