Eggshells are just one way to take a compostable kitchen item and turn it into a nutrient-rich fertilizer. Several plants love the minerals that come out of decomposed eggshells. Fig trees can benefit from eggshells, even if they may not crave them.
Eggshells as Fertilizer
Using eggshells as fertilizer is not only a fantastic way of recycling but also superb for the soil quality of your plants. Eggshells contain calcium carbonate, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium, which are all minerals that support healthy plant growth.
In particular, calcium carbonate is like Gatorade for plants. It supports healthy root growth, which makes the plant grow faster and stronger.
If you want to recycle your eggshells into fertilizer, the best way to use them is to grind them up into a powder and then dissolve them in boiling water. Treat the mixture like a sourdough starter and leave it covered on your kitchen counter for a week, stirring once a day.
After a week, you can pour the mixture directly into the soil at the base of your plant. The eggshell mineral compounds will decompose into the soil.
Fig Trees
Fig trees are a wonderful starter tree for novice gardeners because they are easy to maintain. These trees thrive in warm areas with long summers. If you live somewhere colder with a lot of snow, try tending to a potted fig tree and bringing it inside for the winter.
One of the many reasons why fig trees are easy to take care of is because they do not need a tremendous amount of fertilization.
Eggshells and Fig Trees
Eggshells are perfect for fruit-bearing plants like fig trees. Fig trees can grow in moderately alkaline soil, which means that eggshells lowering the soil’s acidity won’t hurt the tree.
Here are some considerations that can help you decide whether to add eggshells to your fig tree fertilizing routine:
- Potted fig trees will have an easier time absorbing the slow-release of the eggshell minerals because there is less soil to absorb.
- Though eggshells do ward off some pests (like deer and certain kinds of bugs), they might attract others. Avoid adding crushed eggshells directly to your plant’s soil, as it will take longer to decompose and invite other pests like raccoons.
- Fig trees do not need a tremendous amount of fertilizer to thrive, so if you have other plants that could benefit from eggshells more, you might skip over the fig tree.
Adding eggshell fertilizer to your fig tree will, by no means, do it harm. Fig trees are alkaline-loving plants, and though the eggshell/water combination may take a while to release the minerals into the soil, the minerals will create a healthier fig tree.
The benefits that eggshell fertilizers offer might be better for other plants. Plants like tomatoes, strawberries, cucumbers, and eggplants love eggshell fertilizer and might see quicker more direct benefits.
Wrapping Up
Even though there’s no harm in adding eggshell fertilizer to your fig tree, you may want to focus your energy on other more perennial fruit-bearing plants that could benefit from the mixture more.
However, if you have no other plants to tend to and want an ecologically-healthy way to get rid of your eggshells, your fig tree will thank you in years to come. Egg shells can also be used for other plants such as hydrangeas.