Are eggshells good for Christmas cactus?

Succulents and cacti are popular due to their easy maintenance. However, to ensure healthy growth, it’s essential to learn watering and fertilization techniques, as fertilizers are a significant growing medium in addition to the soil mix.

Eggshells are a common household item and a lot of people wonder if they make for a good fertilizer for succulents and cacti. Let’s talk about that.

Do Egg Shells Make Good Fertilizer?

Definitely. Plants need calcium for growth just as much as they need phosphorus and nitrogen. And eggshells as fertilizer are an excellent way to provide your succulents and cacti with calcium carbonate. If you have a penchant for these plants, you might want to keep those leftover eggshells instead of throwing them away into the trash can.

Just like humans need calcium to keep their muscles and bones healthy, plants also need a little calcium carbonate to keep their cell walls and membranes strong and stable.

So, when new cells are being created, calcium promotes growth. Not just that, calcium also plays an important role in promoting the growth of roots and pollen tubes.

Calcium deficiency in plants is also quite real and it can be spotted when new leaves are being formed. The tips are likely to be gelatinous and the leaves may be deformed. Calcium deficiency can also cause the roots to turn black and ultimately lead to the plant’s death.

How Do You Fertilize Plants with Eggshells?

Calcium deficiency can be avoided by making eggshell tea and feeding calcium to the succulent through the soil. Of course, you can also throw clean and dry eggshells into the compost for the same results.

Some gardeners like to crumble the eggshells and place them into the soil before even planting the seed. But that only works before the shell takes a few months to decompose. So, if your succulent is already in place, you will need to do some prep work and not just dump the leftovers. Here’s how you can do that.
Start the process by rinsing the shells well. Make sure there is no egg white or yolk sticking around. This is capable of introducing pathogens to the soil or cause bad smells and also draw pests towards it. From here, there are two ways to go about using eggshells as fertilizer whether it is for your succulent or cactus. And both are pretty easy.

Making Eggshell Tea

Succulents require calcium, but not as much as food-giving plants. To provide the plant with the necessary nutrient, make eggshell tea from leftovers, ensuring they receive the correct amount.

To make eggshell tea, boil water in a pot, add 10 eggshells per gallon, or 20 for a strong brew. Bake the eggshells at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, then add them to the water and leave overnight.

To water your succulent, strain eggshells in the morning and remove any particles. The remaining water, called eggshell tea, should be used weekly, as recommended by experts.

Making Eggshell Powder

To create a powdered eggshell, rinse and dry eggshells completely. Crush eggs into a small powder using a blender or coffee grinder, ensuring particles are as small as possible. Mix this powder into potting soil.

Eggshells in Plant Pots

Break eggshells into small pieces and place them at the bottom of the pot to provide calcium to your plants.

Cover drainage holes loosely to prevent soil from falling out, and avoid adding raw eggshells more than once or twice a year to prevent soil from escaping.

To use a compost pit, break eggshells into crumbles before incorporating them with other fruits and vegetables into the bin.

Eggshells contain potassium but not nitrogen, which succulents require. To compensate, another fertilizer is needed. If using a current fertilizer, ensure it contains calcium, as they don’t need much calcium.

How Often Should You Do This?

Succulents and cacti are popular plants due to their low feeding requirements and growing seasons, but overfeeding is a significant concern.

To start, fertilize plants once a month during their growing season, gradually increase the dosage during peak season, and then decrease it again by mid-fall.
Some succulents don’t grow much during summer, so stop fertilizing when the plant stops growing organically. If your succulent doesn’t get enough sunlight, do minimal fertilizing to prevent thinness and weakness.

If your succulent is in a container without drainage holes, it’s recommended to fertilize it minimally as water and nutrients can’t escape the pot.

Cacti, plants that thrive in harsh climates, require minimal care. If they’re exposed to harsh weather, they adapt and require extra calcium for health. The frequency of fertilization remains the same for both indoor and outdoor cacti, ensuring their well-being.

Are Eggshells Good For Cactus?

Eggshells are beneficial for cactus as they provide calcium carbonate, which strengthens plant cell walls and promotes new cell growth. Lack of calcium can cause leaves to become gelatinous, roots to turn black, and potentially cause plant death. However, not all eggshell applications are accepted by cacti.

What Do Eggshells Do on Cactus Soil?

Eggshells can enhance cactus soil quality, act as mulch, prevent moisture loss, and protect the plant from pest infestation when used without grounding them into fine dust, and without grounding them into fine dust.

Wrapping Up

Eggshells are a beneficial calcium source for succulents and cacti, but they should be removed before use, as they are not as essential for their growth. Different methods can be used to utilize them.