The winning combination for a beautiful garden: vinegar and eggshells. But be careful how you use them.
Despite all the care you take with your garden, sometimes your plants are not in good shape and show signs of nutrient deficiency. Slow growth, yellowing leaves or flowers that struggle to bloom. This is often the sign of impoverished soil. Forget commercial fertilisers!
There’s a simple, economical and environmentally-friendly solution to this problem, right there in your kitchen or even in your dustbin: white vinegar and eggshells. These two often underestimated ingredients can improve the health of your plants while taking care of the environment, provided you use them correctly.
Eggshells are a natural source of calcium.
Eggshells are a natural source of calcium. This mineral is essential for plant development, in particular for strengthening cell structure and promoting root growth. Calcium also helps prevent certain diseases, such as blossom end rot, a common scourge in tomatoes and fruit.
To use eggshells in the garden, simply grind them finely after cleaning and drying. You can then incorporate them directly into the soil or mix them into your compost. Not only do they enrich the soil with calcium, but they also improve the structure of the soil, making it easier to retain moisture.
White vinegar is often used as a natural weedkiller. However, when used sparingly, it can be an excellent addition to enrich the soil by slightly increasing its acidity. Some plants, such as azaleas, bilberries and rhododendrons, prefer more acidic soil in which to thrive. By adding a little vinegar to the watering solution, you can adjust the soil’s pH and encourage the proper absorption of nutrients.
Be careful, though
Vinegar is acidic, and too much of it could damage your plants. The ideal solution is to dilute around a tablespoon of vinegar in a litre of water, then gently water the base of the plants once a month. This process is particularly effective for revitalising soil that is too alkaline, where plants have difficulty assimilating minerals.
The combination of vinegar and eggshells is an ideal solution for undernourished plants. The calcium in the eggshells, combined with the slight acidity provided by the vinegar, improves the structure and quality of the soil. This allows the roots to absorb essential nutrients more easily.
If you have potted plants or plants in soil that is too alkaline, this method is particularly beneficial. Not only does it revitalise the soil, but it also allows you to recycle household waste that would otherwise be thrown away. So it’s an economical and ecological approach, perfectly suited to sustainable gardening.
