There are many myths and facts surrounding the use of eggshells in the garden.
However, benefits of eggshells aren’t something which can be ignored completely.
Forget thinking about the influence it can have on the yield. Using eggshells for cucumber can helps to fight food waste.
Instead of throwing leftovers, you can actually use them to nourish your vegetable garden.
Unlike houseplants, edible plants are heavy feeders. If you supply them with nutrients packed fertilizers, they gift you with satisfying harvest.
Research states that eggshells are packed with nutrients like phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium that can improve your cucumber plant growth. Apart from this, its soft inner shell can provide nitrogen to your plant when decomposed.
You can use leftover eggshells for cucumber plants growth. NPK ratio of eggshell is as follows: 1.19 (Nitrogen), 0.38 (Phosphorus) & 0.14 (Potassium). These nutrients will help your plant in formation of roots, stem and increasing yield. (1)
When I say eggshell, I mean only the outer shell of the egg. It contains 2 shells, including harder shell and soft white inner shell. This inner white shell consists of organic matter which gives the much needed nitrogen for your cucumber plant after decomposing.
You’ll find more on benefits of eggshells later in this article. Prior to that, lets dive into our core topic.
Are Eggshells Good for Cucumbers?
Seeing above nutrients any new gardener will say that eggshells are boon to your garden. But, few gardeners claim eggshells benefits for garden as myth.
Let’s dig into this and find how you can benefit from eggshells in the garden that would otherwise go in the trash.
Here is the video that claim that eggshell doesn’t decompose and thus they do zero work in helping your garden. Experiment claim that eggshells can’t be decomposed and they just break into small pieces.
So, should you use them in your garden or not?
Eggs are something that we use a lot in the kitchen. Yes, it has some nutrients like 34% of calcium and 5 % of organic matter. So, how to use them for your cucumber plant?
As mentioned from above, based on the experiment, eggshells can’t be decomposed quickly.
Adding them to your compost bin or sprinkling crushed eggshells might not be a good idea.
Instead, Epic gardening channel recommends drying eggshells and blend them into a powder. Then just add this powdered eggshell to your vegetable garden or compost. These fragments will attract helpful bacteria that eventually break it down.
Also Read: Best Fertilizer for Chilli Plants
How to Use Eggshells for Cucumber Plants?
You might have seen many gardeners put whole eggshells on their plants or in the soil. It can’t be effective because nutrients in eggshells aren’t plant ready.
They must be decomposed to reap their nutritional benefits.
- Initially, wash the eggshells in water to remove remaining egg whites.
- Allow them to dry under direct sunlight for 1 week.
- Drying eggshells will inhibit the growth of salmonella bacteria and they can be easily crushed.
- To pulverize these eggshells, use blender at your home.
- Calcium and macro nutrients residing in eggshells will help plants to make its cell wall stronger.
- Now mix 1-2 tablespoons of powdered eggshells with potting soil. You can also spread it at the base of cucumber plant. Cover it with a layer of soil.
- Water generously.
Because you’re not mixing it whole potting soil, adding eggshells in container won’t help to improve drainage of the soil. For this, you must choose well-drained growing medium.
Second method to use eggshells for cucumber or any vegetable plant is, by adding the powdered eggshells to compost bin.
Can you use eggshells to control snails?
No, it won’t help you to avoid snails. Experiments are carried out showing that broken eggshells can’t stop snails. (2)
Also Read: How Often Should You Water Chilli Plants?
Benefits of Eggshells for Vegetable Garden
Most of the benefits of eggshells listed over the web are myths.
They don’t decompose easily and it’s depressing that they can’t even stop slugs.
So, should you stop using eggshells for your plants?
Eggshells are leftovers that normally increase the waste. Instead of throwing them if you can dry, blend and add to your compost bin they may provide your plant with necessary nutrients.
However, don’t rely just on eggshells. There are many things that can increase fertility of your soil.
Below mentioned are some of them:
Other fertilizers that you can use for cucumber plants
Demand for organic vegetables is increasing day-to-day.
If you’re looking for natural fertilizers you can get them on Amazon.
But, when you don’t like to go for expensive products you’ve a choice to use homemade fertilizers. This way you reduce the waste and reusing leftovers will benefit your garden.
- Grass clippings
- Kitchen scraps
- Tree leaves
- Manure
- Eggshells
- Banana peels
- Coffee grounds
Adding coffee grounds directly to your container won’t help you. Instead add used coffee ground to compost bin.
It’s recommended that you’ve a compost bin or container to make organic fertilizer for your vegetable garden.
Check this out: How Much Water Does Eggplant Needs?
How to Take Care of Cucumber Plants?
On this blog I already discussed about few important tips for growing cucumber plant.
- How Much Sunlight Do Cucumbers Need?
- How Often to Water Cucumber Plants?
- What Not to Plant With Cucumbers?
- Are Cucumbers Self-Pollinating?
- How Long Does it Take for Cucumber to Grow?
- Why Cucumber Plant Leaves Turning Yellow?
Most important thing to note while growing cucumber in container or pot is the potting soil must be well-drained and packed with compost.
As mentioned earlier, edible plants demand more food. It’s your responsibility to provide them with natural chemical free fertilizers.
Eggshell is one among them.
Though you can’t use them directly, blending them into powder will help increase nutrients ability of the soil.
Watering is another important aspect of growing cucumber plants.
Overwatering and Underwatering will damage your plant growth.
Check for pests and diseases. Use appropriate pesticides to remove them.
Cucumber plants need good amount of sunlight to produce their food. Make sure the location of the plant gets at-least 6 hours of direct sunlight.
Summary
In a nutshell, yes powdered eggshells can do good to your cucumber plant. Organic matter residing in the white shell can actually add nitrogen to the soil.
However, you shouldn’t rely just on these pulverized eggshells for nutrients. Use balanced organic fertilizers to enrich the soil.
When you add more nutrients to the soil, it will eventually gift back with quality cucumbers.
Gardeners have difference of opinion on this.
Few gardeners say it’s a myth that eggshells can benefit your garden. There are also gardeners who back the use of powdered eggshells in the garden.
As eggshells are free and you don’t have to buy them. Instead of increasing the waste, you can actually dry and blend them to powder. You can add the powdered eggshells to your compost bin.
Did you ever use eggshells for vegetable garden? Let us know the result.