Egg Shells And Coffee Grounds

[LillyBelle]

I remember as a child seeing egg shells and coffee grounds around my grandmother's outdoor flowers. I always thought this was odd, but never asked her why she did this. Have any of you done this and what benefit to flowers does it have?

 

[claudine]

Hello LillyBelle!
As far as I know, both egg shells and coffee grounds make a really great fertilizer You can read more about it in this thread: https://www.gardening-forums.com/threads/egg-shells-and-coffee-grounds.6562/#post-70805

 

[Pat]

I use coffee grounds, egg shells and banana peels as a great fertilizer for my plants. I also try to save the greens from the kitchen in my fertilizer tea.

 

[IcyBC]

I also did what @Pat did in my garden, and the soil seems so much better!

 

[Greenhorn]

I don't think the coffee grounds are a fertilizer per se, more about adding a free, organic, compost-able typically waste stream product to the garden.The addition of coffee ground will ultimately provide and improvement more organic (nutrient rich) soil. Eggs on the other hand, from what I've read can supply a slow release of calcium, but must be near powder state, the more course the longer it will take to break down and contribute the calcium.

 

[Corzhens]

From what I understand, the coffee ground is a good potting material similar to coconut coir of rice husk. But it cannot be considered fertilizer. With the egg shells, they are more of a decoration than a fertilizer since the calcium is in the egg shells itself. Maybe if you will ground the egg shells it may exude some minerals that can mix in the soil, but I'm not sure of that.

 

[aquaticneko]

I have always saved my used coffee grounds and egg shells to add to my plants. The egg shells add alot of calcium to your soil. Tomato's especially need alot of calcium and they welcome the added nutrition some crushed egg shells can provide. Coffee grounds add nitrogen to the soil. Very much needed! It also makes the soil slightly more acidic

 

[Everbrown]

Slugs , cutworms , and other soft bodied critters are not fond of crawling over sharp eggshells

 

[Kallie]

Slugs , cutworms , and other soft bodied critters are not fond of crawling over sharp eggshells

That's right! They are great for deterring slugs!

 

[Kallie]

I remember as a child seeing egg shells and coffee grounds around my grandmother's outdoor flowers. I always thought this was odd, but never asked her why she did this. Have any of you done this and what benefit to flowers does it have?

Put the eggshells in a blender and create a powder to spread in garden. Great for tomatoes because it provides calcium.

 

[ChrisL]

calcium will eventually leach into the soil out of the eggshells. Grinding speeds the process. I put them into my compost bin (5'x3'x3') so they get broken up as i turn the compost at least twice a week.

 

[OursIsTheFury]

My aunt did that too But unlike you, I actually asked her about it. It apparently helps the plants grow more? I was a kid so maybe she was simplifying it for my sake. But yes, apparently they help the soil absorb more water, helping the plants more.

 

[LillyBelle]

Wow! I had no idea this was such a commonly known trick for making plants grow better. My grandmother is the only person I have ever known to do this. I guess I know what I'll be doing now!

 

[Vinaya]

usually, I throw egg shells and coffee grounds on my compost pit. However, I did not know these things made great fertilizer. I threw egg shells and coffee grounds considering the fact that they are organic waste and will decompose on my compost pit.

 

[filmjunkie08]

I never put eggshells in my compost as they do not breakdown well. Putting coffe grounds in the compost is a good thing to add.