Natural Fertilizers: Eggshells for Cultivating Cannabis

How Cannabis Gardens Can Benefit from Eggshells? 

Eggshells are a rich source of calcium, but also magnesium and potassium, all of which are needed for cannabis plants to grow healthy and thrive. Beyond nutrition, there are few other benefits of using this cost-effective fertilizer for your cannabis plants. Eggshells improve the soil alkalinity and texture, as well as they can act as a natural deterrent for slugs and snails in outdoor gardens. 

To make use of eggshells, it’s important to consider that it takes some time to prepare them. The nutrients contained in the eggshells are not immediately absorbable and available to plants. Before using, rinse and air-dry the shells, then crush them into powder or coarse pieces, depending on how you like to use them. We explain more below. 

Eggshells as a Rich Source of Calcium 

The main nutrient eggshells can provide to cannabis plants is calcium. Although it’s a secondary nutrient, plants need calcium to shoot up - it’s an essential element for cell formation and growth. In addition, calcium optimizes the chemical balance in the soil and improves water uptake. It plays a key role in removing carbohydrates, neutralizing cell acids, and facilitating healthy enzymatic processes. For this purpose, eggshells can be dispensed on cannabis plants in three different ways: 

1. Directly: Collect and crush eggshells into fine powder and mix them into the soil when planting the seeds, or transplanting seedlings into bigger pots. The powder solution will keep up a sustained release of calcium, supporting the healthy cell growth of any plant you work with - not just cannabis.
2. Composting: Eggshells can be added to your compost pile, where they will gradually break down and increase calcium levels within the compost. Once the compost is ready, it can be used to feed your cannabis plants.
3. Liquid fertilizer: Crushed eggshells can be kept in water for around 10 days to create a nutrient-rich liquid fertilizer. This solution should be applied directly on the soil - do not apply on the foliage. 

Soil Conditioner 

Another important application of eggshells is as soil conditioner in your cannabis garden. Eggshells can decrease soil pH, lowering acidity and increasing alkalinity, which ultimately optimizes the grow medium and enables a proper nutrient uptake for the plants. In addition, crushed eggshells add texture to the soil, opening up pockets of air that enhance soil aeration and drainage. 

Pest Control: Slugs and Snails 

Slugs and snails can be a problem in outdoor gardens. One solution to fight them is crushed shells, spattered around the cannabis plants to form protective circles. The sharp-edged coarse particles will stop the slow-approaching, soft-bodied invaders. 

How to Prepare Eggshells for Cannabis Garden Use? 

Here is how to prepare eggshells for your cannabis growing efforts. 

1. Wash and dry: Eggshells need to be completely clean. Rinse and remove any dirt from the surface, then air-dry them thoroughly for a couple of days.
2. Crush, crush, crush: Grind the shells into a fine powder or larger coarse particles, using a mortar and pestle, a food processor or similar kitchen appliance. The finer the powder, the quicker the nutrient decompose process.
3. Wait before use: Eggshells take around 3 months before the nutrients contained in them become absorbable. Unless you grind into powder, which would accelerate decomposition.
4. Store properly: Once you’ve crushed or powdered the eggshells, put them in an air-tight container if you are not gonna use them immediately. 

Speeding Up the Breakdown Process of Eggshells 

While eggshells have excellent benefits in home cultivation of cannabis, as mentioned earlier, decomposition can vary. In coarse pieces, it might take up to 4 months for eggshells to release nutrients. But if you crush them into powder, it will wiggle on things significantly. 

• Crush into powder: this would unlock calcium and other nutrients much faster.
• If you add to compost: regularly turn the pile of compost to introduce more oxygen and encourage nutrient release.
• Acidic environments: Eggshells break down faster in an acidic environment, so if your soil or compost has a lower pH, the decomposition process will be quicker. You can check this with a pH reader. 

Happy growing!

More on this topic from Soft Secrets:

• Different Types of Natural Fertilizers for Cannabis Plants
• Uses of Baking Soda in Cannabis Gardening
• Horticultural Seaweed as a Cannabis Supplement