DIY Water Soluble Calcium Fertilizer Using Eggshells and Vinegar

In this permaculture gardening video I show you how to make water soluble calcium rich fertilizer using eggshells and vinegar. Eggshells are difficult to compost since they take a long time to break down. Using acetic acid or vinegar helps speed up the decomposition process and the chemical reaction releases the calcium in water soluble form that plants can use. Calcium is an essential nutrient that plants need to make foliage, cell walls, and fruit. Using this method to return nutrients back to the soil is just one of the ways we are using to be zero waste and reduce our waste footprint.

[@andymike6575]

For the nerds out there, vinegar (acetic acid) and eggshells (calcium carbonate) react to produce calcium acetate, water and CO2. It is water soluble, pH neutral and directly bioavailable as acetates are the most common building blocks for biosynthesis.

[@stayliftedgermany4041]

So, No need to "Stretch" the mixture 🤔🤔

[@andymike6575]

@@stayliftedgermany4041 not really. Just be sure to wait at least 2 weeks since the weak acid-base reaction occurs very slowly. You can also buy pure calcium acetate in powder form that you dissolve in water. ~$10/lb

[@LairdKenneth]

For drying the eggshells, in the summertime I simply leave them out in a bucket in the sun and they dry quickly, in the winter I put the bucket near the woodstove. If you do need to use your oven, wait until after you have baked something, and then put the tray of shells into the oven. You can turn the oven off, as there is plenty of heat left for drying the shells.

[@royseager]

Asset

[@uranne]

Thank you so much for the tips! Two hours in the oven uses a lot of energy.

[@ArgyleTurtle]

I do the exact same thing, after making breakfast I toss them in to the residual heat

[@JourneytoSustainableLiving]

if you have a compost pile, blending your eggshells to a powder can help insects decompose the eggshells more easily, and I promise it works! I've been putting my eggshell powder into compost for years and then using the compost to amend my soil. it's the long game, but the time is going to pass anyway! check out my YT video because I use eggshells in other ways too other than composting!

[@joniboulware1436]

You need heat to kill off the Salmonella and other pathogens.

[@ronaldwalker1009]

Keep sending more videos like this 💯🧠💪 you're doing a great job !!!!! keep it up 👍👍

[@BelindaB777]

Yes a older lady from Mississippi taught me this but I don't use all these steps and it works great my plants love it just as good as any store bought fertilizer if not better she called it tankage.... 💚 been using it for decades

[@peggyhelblingsgardenwhatyo7920]

Hi Christina, Greetings from Windermere, Florida 9b Excellent video ❤ I have used eggshells in my garden for 50 years. But my uses have changed. Now I pulverize them and use as grit in my Worm bins. Their Castings are now calcium rich ❤

[@foreverfoodforest]

Thank you Florida friend! That's a great idea for supercharging your worm castings with nutrients! I want to start a worm bin soon - any tips for keeping them happy in our Florida heat?

[@cfeliz785]

Excellent video. Thank you for educating us about garden ideas

[@kevinfinnegan8547]

I gave up saving eggshells because they never broke down in my compost; now I can start saving/using them again. Thank you!

[@josefjorge]

Takes 3 years to start leaching until 10 years. Not a waste. No harm done.

[@PhilipYoungblood-n6t]

I feed small eggshell pieces to my chickens in there mash along with diatomaceous earth in small amounts keeps the parasites away.

[@oldandintheway9805]

Your chickens will love you for that!

[@deniselattanzio1722]

My egg shells never turned into the milky white liquid hers did. Wasn't expecting them to because I used the brown egg shells. But I was expecting a brownish version but it never happened. They never broke down. I left it in the closet for months. Nothing.

[@olympia007]

I dry out the shells and turn them to powder and add to the worm farm or mix into potting soil. A flour sifter is good to dust around plants and scratch into the soil. I do the same with charcoal.

[@AlaskaIndoor]

Alaska native love you be safe stay strong God bless

[@orkids5551]

Yes, been using this method as I watched filipino channel & they call them CalPhos.. I panfry my smashed eggshells & then use my old blender. So far it works. Very informative video. Thanks for sharing.

[@sitindogmas]

throw a pinch Epsom salt in in for your magnesium, your fruiting and flowering plants will love you for it ✌️💚

[@rickswift675]

Greeting from Queensland Australia Chrsina, even though I'm seventy five I'm as active as and a keen garner. I'M quite a big environmentalists and greeny, I have chocks what you would call chickens I never dispose of the shells they are thrown into buckets and crushed. I'm so impressed with your way I'll do it that way from now on. I'll start tomorrow with shells and crushed one's. I also eat a lot of oranges I never thrown out the the pills as they contain Nitrogen, after peeling, place into the fridge to remove moisture for a fortnight the sit them in a sunny spot till the become stiff place in oven at 250 C for an hour, then food processor. Plus I collect used Coffee grounds where I'm a regular, they also have Nitrogen slugs and snails love it and it kills them with a hart attack, with the result there is no resistance built up unlike chemicals

[@oldandintheway9805]

Greetings from the land up over.

[@mariaedler5107]

Thank you for this tip, I have a huge problem with them eating my hostas. Anything for pill bugs or any bugs?

[@ma.reneemagtibay-rivero8059]

Great tip for getting rid of slugs & snails! Thank you! Btw, I'm 70 and don't feel anywhere near 😊 Here's to us 🥂

[@AlsanPine]

i use an old coffee grinder i got at a garage sale for a few bucks. the only thing i would change is evening spraying of leaves is less than ideal. as a general rule avoid doing this especially in humid places like most of usa. with tomatoes, when i plant the starts outside, i put in some of the powder in the hole. adding it to the compost is also excellent. excellent channel.

[@houseofflava7614]

Just came across this video and loved your method. I learned this from garden like a viking who went into depth, (love his channel), but yours was a little bit easier to understand. I know people are asking about why baking in over. Viking explained that it not only kills bacteria but destroys the film that clogs up your blender etc. Great tutorial, can't wait to see more. TFS

[@paulbraga4460]

actually, the powdered eggshell are great to add in the compost pile. the calcium will become available readily if add at the beginning of the heating process. indeed there is a wonderful process in biodynamics called cow pat pit you can use and tis very much like your ordinary compost in terms of maturity...blessing

[@foreverfoodforest]

Interesting about the cow pat pit. I will have to try it when I have access to some basalt. Thank you for the tip! I love learning about all these different biodynamic methods.

[@NatalieBrown-r6j]

I have watched several videos for making fertilizer from eggshells. However, yours was so easy to listen to that all my questions were answered. My confusion was replaced with comprehension after watching this video. I’m ready to to try it, no, DO it!

[@jeanettetaranto2385]

I totally agree with your comment, this was a great video, right to the point. Some other videos I checked out before this one are way too long and with too much unnecessary content. Being short, sweet and with relevant information is not easy to produce.

[@HadassahHaman]

Well. Thank You!❤ I'm an organic gardener and have been making eggshell flour for couple years now but was not aware of this method. I'll definitely give it a try! Thx again!

[@karlakane5138]

Appreciate your clear recipe to make the mother” solution of vinegar & egg shells and then the all important recipe for dilution !

[@hayj8741]

Thanks! Working on first time bed w tomatoes and watermelon, hoping for the best!!

[@truthbetold2611]

I always save all my egg shells for the garden. I'll make the foliar spray. Thank you.

[@ancesthntr]

Thanks very much for this video, it was as informative as the one on composting. I wash eggshells with hot water. I gather anywhere from 1 to 2 dozen over the course of a week or so together and then microwave them for one minute. I assume that you’re putting the shells in the oven to kill any bacteria, and I am quite sure that putting them in the microwave does the exact same thing. I have been hand grinding them inside of paper towels with the edge of a jar, and I think I’m going to move to the electric grinder method. First of all, it looks a hell of a lot easier, and second it definitely grinds it to a finer powder than I can by hand. I will be adding some of the diluted mixture to my worm bin, and the rest I will add to my compost pile.

[@mynameismud4568]

Watched all your vids Loved all of it need more please.😊🖖

[@WhatAboutNepal]

Thanks, from Nepal. I just found your channel and subscribed.

[@TheProdigalGardener]

I just discovered your channel today and I love your videos. I am learning and laughing all at once. I love your authenticity. Happy growing!

[@foreverfoodforest]

Thank you so much!

[@tinaingram885]

Thanks for sharing. Will be doing this. I have a huge bucket of eggshells. 😮 im a organic Gardner. 😊

[@sia.j.parrella6752]

Garden like a Viking, explained how the frying pan cooking breaks down the membrane so the composting is quicker, I'm sure the oven does the same thing.

[@isabelladavis1363]

Great information never knew to add vinegar to it and that it benefits soooo much thank you for sharing this vital information stay blessed

[@gracegardenprince]

Good information 👍

[@paulgdlmx]

Well done, clear, informative

[@petrtshine7172]

I like your video so much you have a good idea very good see you for next videos thank you.

[@kazuma96-dq5zw]

I did teacher I'm confident my test score will be 100 thanks love you.

[@stacyclark5910]

Very thorough! Thx!

[@consciouseducationcoach]

What does your house smell like when baking those egg shells please share 🙏 Love this video! Thanks you ❤

[@altafabdallah7867]

Thank u from africa Tanzania 🇹🇿

[@sewingSue]

Last season I ground the egg shells and then just sprinkle around the veggie plants and watered. Did not have any tomatoes with end rot.

[@lovethegarden.kumariyeline4835]

Very nice sharing friend.

[@debbiey9452]

I do this with my chickens’ eggshells and use an old coffee bean grinder to make a powder. I then sprinkle that powder over their food for extra calcium.

[@meesho2194]

Hello Christina, Greetings from Michael Staten Island NY 7b. how often do you spray your plants with the eggshell solution. Thanks

[@anithap7151]

Thank you for the information. You say an ounce mixture to a gallon of water, but in the video you add about 3 ounces to a quart.

[@foreverfoodforest]

Good eye! Its not an exact science. A more dilute mixture will last longer.

[@anithap7151]

@@foreverfoodforest Thank you.

[@fomoyearsfofofiv8178]

Actually, eggshells are very similar in composition to our own bones. Many trace and more significant minerals are in the shells. That red-pinkish color in the dust is magnesium and manganese which the latter combines with silica of the shell to make dolimite. Limestone with dolomite makes lime more usable in plants. Thanks!

[@simple4me2]

2-3 hours@ 300 deg.

[@simple4me2]

Add 5 cups white vingar to egg shells

[@fomoyearsfofofiv8178]

@@simple4me2 Why so long? I baked mine at 375 for about 45 minutes and they powdered out well in the past.

[@tmckmusic8584]

Which is why this solution is also a good idea for humans to consume : try replacing the vinegar in your homemade salad dressing with calcium vinegar.😉

[@fomoyearsfofofiv8178]

@@tmckmusic8584 Probably real viable.

[@maytezaldivar8384]

Thanks for the tips. ❤😊

[@BudGrower420]

I love those flowers in the kitchen it’s different

[@tokyukvitz88]

Thanks a lot. From Malaysia.

[@ashercohen387]

I Sun dry mine. Then I blend them to powder. I use my own homemade vinegar. Works great minimal electric used.

[@kmetharom]

Thanks, Forever Food Forest. ❤❤❤

[@dayalankanavathy9220]

I don't wash them but sun dry the egg shells. Will it make a difference. Thank you for your video ❤

[@MrThemortgage]

I do the same but use a 1:1 ratio and it works fine. I add 1 TBSP/gallon of water and water it into the soil. I don't need to wait with the 1:1 more than 20 minutes or once all the bubbles stop.

[@trishbaby1001]

You stated 1oz to 1gal. But you measured out “1 quart” in your video. Can you confirm it is indeed “1oz to 1gal” Tnx

[@brentross69]

Hi... Nice video! But ... I would like to give you a few hints!! First... Just throw the shells into a frying pan... Crush them up and on low heat cook them and stir them until they darken but not burnt... 10 minutes +/- Just crush them up while cooking... Do not powder them... Then using your same ratios put in big glass jar ... Put vinegar first and add eggshells slowly so it does volcano on you... Cover with cloth and tie with string.... Put somewhere cool and dark and place on some eruption if jar is not big enough. Any vinegar will do!! In about a week or so reaction stops... Strain put away... It last very long time in cool place. Always spray in late evening.. never early morning unless you are sure it will be cool and cloudy all day.

[@foreverfoodforest]

Thanks for the tips! I'm currently trying this method with kombucha that turned to vinegar, and not powdering of the eggshells.

[@deniselattanzio1722]

Followed instructions but did not achieve same outcome.

[@kellyshanahan8139]

Hello from zone 4b in Quebec. I’ve only been growing veggies for our years and have a question. How often do I use this spray, and at what stage of maturity of the plants?

[@NZ-vorno]

Hi, regarding the oven toasting / baking of the egg shells - you mention 2-3hrs at 200º. Would that be in C or F? Also, could you instead pan-fry the egg shells? Trying to understand the reasoning as to why one would toast the egg shells and what part that has to play in the process? Is it purely to dry them, or does heating them have a chemical / conversion process that's involved?

[@vuyelwaflorence]

Thank you Lady I will do it in my garden

[@tulsiramdagur9580]

Your simplicity and netcharAl

[@sitindogmas]

throw a pinch of Epsom salt in there with it, your fruiting and flowering plants will love it ✌️💚

[@adibayob5777]

Oh no... Epsom salt cannot be mixed up together with Calcium. Antagonist effect I mean.

[@oscarrmelchor]

Out in California leave them out for a day. It’s summer here so they will get dry after once day.

[@crystalkinson4915]

???I watched another video on this and my concoction 5 cups vinegar to 1/2 cup eggshell. It quit bubbling after about 2 1/2 days so I filtered out the eggshell mush. The color of the liquid is still mainly clear vinegar. The taste is different but still slightly vinegar in taste. Can I still use this as foliar?

[@suezaple4950]

Very cool love this thanks ,

[@Guylangloisartist]

Great video. Thanks

[@bigrich6750]

I’m just wondering if you need to do the vinegar. After drying and grinding into a powder, can’t you just use it like a dry fertilizer, or will it just not produce the calcium that way?

[@freedom_born]

It'll help but still isn't really available for at least 4 months. The membrane needs to break down during watering which won't happen for a long while. So it's better to add long before planting, or compost the ground up shells instead... but the vinegar method usually activates faster as shown.

[@bigrich6750]

@@freedom_born thank you! Interestingly, I was just shoveling some, “finished,” compost and found a nearly intact eggshell in my compost pile that’s probably been in there for several months at least. I try to break them up but must have missed this one. Anyway, the durability of eggshells is amazing, but I’d sure like to make use of all those nutrients.

[@Zanziguy]

😊

[@athanas7892]

This amazing information. Thanks for sharing how to make calcium available for plants using egg shells

[@RevelationswithRabbi]

Eggshells are the closest form of our bones which exists outside of the body. Which also makes it a superb calcium supplement (for humans) after being ground up. ❤

[@thefourseasonsinsweden]

Wow, thank you for sharing your video ❤

[@VOTE4TAJ]

It’s a good video to simplify methods. I follow Garden Like Vikings and his prescribe use of liquid calcium is about 1-2% while an ounce to a gallon is also around the same ratio of less than 1% How often you recommend to use as foliar spray and or drench. I have recommended a friend in Pakistan to use the concentration on their vegetables like tomato and eggplant. Tanveer Taj Calgary, Canada Zone 4

[@foreverfoodforest]

Hi welcome! I use it as a foliar spray at the first set of blooms to prevent blossom end rot. How often it needs to be applied depends on your irrigation/rain schedule/soil type. I have sandy soil so during dry season I only drench once sometime after transplanting and before blossom set. During rainy season I have to drench every two weeks as the rain washes it out of the soil and its too humid to apply it as a foliar spray.

[@VOTE4TAJ]

@@foreverfoodforest it’s a heavier clay with lots of organic matter. I used it once, but will be applying foliar spray and soil drench with other liquid fertilizer upcoming weekend. Also, I handed over this formula to a farmer friend in Pakistan‘s so they can apply on their crops which are calcium deficient. Thank you for detailed reply.

[@foreverfoodforest]

@@VOTE4TAJ Thank you for passing along the info! Good thing about clay soils is that they hold on to nutrients far better than sandy soils.

[@dawnburkhalter7488]

Can you answer a question for me? is there any reason we can't just dissolve a calcium supplement from the drug store in water?

[@StringofPearls55]

Good question.

[@lynettehairrell1741]

I have done that!, and it definitely helps prevent blossom end rot

[@teacherseverino3467]

Thank you for sharing this video

[@rebqayunan4382]

Excellent video thank you can be store for along time

[@stacycook7155]

It's been ten days- there was no high bubbling and the eggshells remain on the bottom. I used white vinegar- it only creates a tiny amount of bubbles when I stir/shake the glass jar. Is it because I am using duck egg shells? This is the type of egg we eat.

[@mphil8433]

Thank you, thank you!

[@martywicks2826]

I usually put ground up egg shells in the ground when I plant tomatoes and they seem to grow faster. I'll have to try this method too. Do you put this on pepper plants too?

[@foreverfoodforest]

I haven't tried it with peppers. I only apply this when plants show a deficiency. But it should work with peppers too!

[@amakaaneke130]

Definitely worth trying out. Thank you.

[@foreverfoodforest]

My pleasure!

[@jzwalz51robin45]

I left my powdered egg shells in vinegar for a month, but it did not look like oat mild. I got egg shell residue at the bottom and cloudy liquid.

[@juliogonzalez9723]

Thank you so much for the advice .😀

[@VijayKumar-df7ce]

good information

[@juliej2930]

Can the calcium fertilizer be stored in plastic containers or should it be stored in glass? Ty

[@BlackBelgianDog]

Hi! What is the purpose of baking eggshells? I love cutting corners and if its only for killing possible salmonella bacteria, vinegar will do it anyway.

[@foreverfoodforest]

Baking them not only kills bacteria, but also dries them out and creates a chemical reaction that helps extract water soluble phosphorus along with calcium. It is possible to cut corners and still get a good result. I made my first batch without baking, just eggshells smashed by hand. Strained off the vinegar every two weeks and filled it with fresh. It took about 3 months for the eggshells to dissolve into a fine powder.

[@chrislaezur730]

Thank you. Every other source I looked at either gave me incorrect ratios or didn’t tell me what the finished product looks like.

[@SK-gc7xv]

Mixing this with weed tea made from dandelions would be even more powerful, and the leftover grit is good for worms.

[@jagathgoonewardene507]

Very Good. Thank you very much

[@blueandbanana]

Why do you bake the eggshells? Can I use an fryer or microwave and for how long?

[@josephinegarcia5868]

Can I use it on all my plants including orchids?❤

[@denniscucovaz6189]

Made some last year, its in sealed mason jars, Is it still good yo use?

[@davidhurley2656]

Thanks. Another guy who uses a 1:1 ratio says the egg shells will neutralize the vinegar so that dilution is not necessary. Is it different cuz you use a 10:1 ratio?

[@andymike6575]

White vinegar is only 5% acetic acid so you need much more vinegar than eggshells/CaCO3 for the stoichiometric ratio to be balanced

[@fups420]

will boiled eggshells work or do they have to be roasted?

[@foreverfoodforest]

Boiled will work, it will just take longer to dissolve. You can also put them in a black container and set them outside in full sun for several days.

[@Altheiometer]

hi guys, mine never turned into a unified milky liquid like that. however, i stored it in plastic bottles with the lid closed, opening periodically to let the gas out. is it important for the mixture to be able to breathe for it to turn into a milky liquid?

[@tamarahaenz5114]

I have a question. You say at the end; 1oz of concentrate and 1 gallon of water. Buy in the video you’re only using 4 cups. What is it exactly?

[@ramprasanna1577]

For How many days it can be stored? And instead of viniger can i use lime juice?

[@foreverfoodforest]

You can use lime juice! Any acid will work. I've even used over brewed kombucha. I've stored it for up to 3 months in a dark place under the sink.

[@ramprasanna1577]

You said the preparation time is 10 days. Should we have to mix or shake daily?

[@offcoursebird5150]

I’ve seen other videos that bake them for 20 minutes or even less. Won’t they burn at 200 for 2-3 hours? I assume this is Fahrenheit, which is about 90 Celsius?

[@maccliff2115]

I just throw them in the compost pile. I’ll let the natural process takes it course. But this works too. 😃👍🏼

[@davidhurley2656]

I've heard it takes a very long time for egg shells to break down and become bio-available in regular compost. That squares with my observations of how long the shells are intact. I just started hand-crushing them (mortar & pestle actually) then soaking them in vinegar for a couple days before putting them in my compost to speed up the process a bit.

[@loyaltyndrespect24]

Is it better to put it with vinegar to remove the calcium faster? I did it like that, and the vinegar killed my plants.

[@JuniorRamlakan-lc9xk]

this is very good to do..tnx for sharing

[@foreverfoodforest]

Most welcome 😊

[@elizabethzemola3639]

How often do you spray the plants?

[@joanies6778]

Not sure why you bake the eggshells fot that long. I only bake them long enough to kill bacteria for storage. They crush easily and then I pulverize them, just as you do. I have been sprinking the powdered eggshell in my gardem beds each year. I think I'll try this method this time. Thank you!

[@foreverfoodforest]

Joanie, The longer baking time helps break down the protective membrane on the eggshells. They will dissolve in vinegar without baking, but it will take longer.

[@tamala127]

@@foreverfoodforest In my JADAM Practice, by baking them or toasting them, we also get the phosphorous side, thus it is called Cal Phos and not just Water-Soluble Calcium that is plant-ready nutrient in the form of Calcium Carbonate. I hope I added a bit info, thanks...:D

[@foreverfoodforest]

@@tamala127 Good to know! We have an abundance of phosphorus naturally in our soil, so this is useful information. Will be looking more into JADAM as well, right now I'm only familiar with JLF.

[@wizardatmath]

Have you tried grinding before baking?

[@Rubio_Eric]

When growing potatoes, at what point do you add the eggshell fertilizer to the plants?

[@alexiabent4142]

Nice. Tks God bless you.

[@saave47]

thanks

[@kluv7139]

Thanks so much

[@agrohome5344]

Thanks friend

[@cristobalv]

i would normally use shredded egg shell directly into the Vermicompost bin for future humus amended or directly into my tomato beds who loves extra calcium especially in the fruit production phase. So i didn't understand what's vinegar really does ?

[@DovidM]

The calcium in egg shells is unavailable unless the shell is crushed to a powder using a blender or coffee grinder. The vinegar is for creating water soluble calcium that can then be applied in diluted form as a foliar spray. However, you don’t need the vinegar if you have reduced the shells to a powder. The powder can be applied to the surface of the soil much like you would agricultural lime.

[@lachinamr99]

Can I leave the mix to fermentation in a plastic container, for the 2 weeks?

[@nicoleshelburne5128]

What kind of blender do you have?

[@davidsiljanovski5096]

I love thet thanks

[@gwardiyaimbentortv]

Sending support idol❤❤❤❤❤

[@jefarnsworth]

Can you store pulverized eggshells in a mason jar to have at hand when you are ready to make the fertilizer?

[@Apryldyes2002]

Absolutely yes

[@CasaLillis]

How often do i have to spray eggshells on these plants? can i use this spray for all plants?

[@foreverfoodforest]

Calcium is a necessary nutrient for all plants. It helps them build cell walls. I spray once before bloom set. If it rains a lot, I use it as a soil drench bi weekly to prevent blossom end rot on Tomatoes. Using it as a soil drench when growing wheat will increase your harvest.

[@gendoll5006]

I can’t get my eggshells into a powder. My lil food processor only breaks them up into really small pieces. I’ve had this recipe sitting for days and they’re still not even halfway dissolved.