Are Eggshells Good for Peace Lily?

The use of eggshells to fertilize your houseplants is surrounded by myths and facts, in this article will help you decide whether to use this home-available ingredient for your indoor plants or throw them away.

It might be surprising but you can enrich your houseplants with many kitchen leftovers.

Eggshells are one among them. Instead of throwing empty shells, crush them and add it to your garden.

Are eggshells good to fertilize my peace lily plant?

Calcium, magnesium, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium housed in eggshells can benefit peace lilies.

Though nutrients in this kitchen leftover may not be enough to fulfill fertilizing needs of peace lily plant, but when you’re getting free organic fertilizer why waste it.

Before jumping to further, I highly recommend you to know nutritional elements residing in eggshells.

Also read: How Often to Water Arrowhead Plant?

Benefits of Eggshells for Houseplants

There are few myths as well as facts surrounding benefits of eggshells for gardening.

As a gardener it’s your job to sideline the myths and identify true benefits of this home available fertilizer.

• Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium housed in eggshells can enhance the growth of plant leaves, roots and contribute in fruit production.
• Pulverized eggshells can be added to your compost bin as an organic material.
• Smaller amount of secondary nutrients like calcium, magnesium and sulphur in eggshell are vital for optimal health of peace lily plant.
• Eggshell contains 95 percent of calcium carbonate, 0.3 percent of phosphorus, 0.3 percent of magnesium and it also has trace elements like sodium, potassium, manganese, copper and iron.
• Calcium content help build strong cell walls and avoid disorders caused by calcium deficiency like stunted growth, leaf curl, leaf edge necrosis and tip burn.
• Add powdered eggshells to growing soil will enrich the soil and help peace lily plant to improve its foliage.

Are Eggshells Good for Peace Lily Plant?

Before proceeding, it me burst few myths around this kitchen waste.

• Eggshells can’t stop or avoid snails or slugs.
• Using eggshell to grow seedlings isn’t going to help the plant in any way.
• Putting whole or crushed eggshells will enrich your soil with calcium. Eggshells take more time to get decomposed. This is why you must pulverize them before adding it to compost.
• Adding powdered eggshells won’t help to get rid of calcium deficiency in plants. Though eggshells have 95 percent of calcium in calcium carbonate form, which will take 2-3 years to break down.

So, don’t expect immediate benefit by adding eggshells to peace lily plant.

Pulverized eggshell can make your soil loose and improve its ability to drain excess water. Adding eggshell powder to your growing soil can enrich the potting soil by adding nitrogen and other essential trace elements

If you don’t like to add it to your growing medium, you can add washed, dried and powdered eggshells to compost pile.

Remember this: Nutrients in eggshells aren’t available for plants readily. Only after decomposition, plant will be able to get benefited.

Check this out: Can You Put a Peace Lily Outside in Summer?

How to Use Eggshells for Peace Lilies?

This is very important.

How you use eggshells will have positive or zero impact on your plant.

As mentioned earlier, eggshells need to undergo decomposition to be able to enrich your growing soil.

If you choose to add crushed eggshells directly to peace lily plant, it may do more harm. Unwashed eggshells may attract pests and fungal infestation.

And who will enjoy foul smelling eggshells around indoor plants?

Follow this simple procedure to wisely use your eggshells on your houseplants.

1. Wash eggshells to remove leftover egg white and allow them to dry under sun for couple of days.
2. Now, blend dried eggshell into fine powder.
3. You’ll be able to use this powdered eggshells with potting soil.
4. Alternatively, you’re free to add these pulverized eggshells to compost bin.

Eggshell powder will get decomposed and slowly releases it nutrients to the soil over 1-2 years.

If you’ve peace lily plant outdoors, then you can use eggshell powder as mulch. It can stops weed growth and prevent easy escape of moisture into atmosphere.

Also Read: Can I Put My Dracaena Outside in Summer?

Gardening Myths of Eggshells

If you didn’t skip, I already mentioned few myths in above lines.

Anyhow, below are popular myths that have no fact in them.

• Eggshells can deter slugs – Myth: Sharp edges of crushed eggshells aren’t sharp enough to stop snails or slugs from your garden.
• Best Seed starting pot – Myth: Germinating seed in leftover eggshell has no benefit for the plant. As mentioned, calcium carbonate in eggshell needs to get decomposed to benefit the plant.
• Avoid blossom end rot – Myth: Calcium deficiency leads to blossom end rot and leaf curl. Though eggshell has calcium in form of calcium carbonate it may not help your plant immediately. Eventually, the plant will die if you didn’t use other calcium rich fertilizers.

Note: Some gardening experts recommend adding vinegar to powdered eggshells to fasten the decomposition. However, I don’t recommend this.

Growing Conditions of Peace Lily Plant

With dark green leaves and white flower, peace lily plant can light up a living space.

Also, it can purify your house.

To put in simple words:

Light: This houseplant can be grown under low – medium light. However, more light will beautify peace lily plant.

Watering: You don’t have to water daily, overwatering often kills this indoor plant. Water peace lily plant only when you notice the top 1 inch of the soil is dry.

Fertilizers: A balanced fertilizer twice a year will be enough for this plant to look healthy.

Soil: Well-drained, loose and fertile soil is preferred. Choosing wrong potting soil can often land your plant in trouble, either overwatering or underwatering.

Re-potting: When your peace lily plant outgrows its container, then you must repot it in a large container with atleast 2 inches large than current container.

Wash the plant leaves once in year to remove dust settled on green foliage this plant.

Final Words

You’re using eggshells for peace lily plant not because it has abundant nutritional benefits.

But instead of throwing and increasing the environmental waste, your plants will get nutrients over the period of 2 years.

Remember this: Nutritional needs of your peace lily plant can’t be fulfilled just by using these pulverized eggshells. You must add a balanced fertilizer to enrich its growth.