If you usually throw your eggshells into the trash, you may be throwing away something surprisingly useful for your garden. Eggshells are rich in calcium carbonate, and with a little preparation, they can be reused as an inexpensive addition to your gardening routine.
Instead of buying expensive garden products every time your plants need extra support, you can recycle clean eggshells and turn kitchen waste into a useful gardening material. This simple habit can be especially helpful for vegetable gardens, flower beds, container plants, and home gardening projects.
The easiest way to use eggshells is to clean and dry them thoroughly. After cooking with eggs, rinse the shells under running water to remove remaining egg white or yolk. This step is important because leftover organic material can produce unpleasant odors and attract insects.
Allow the shells to dry completely. You can place them in a sunny location for several hours or leave them overnight. Once they are completely dry, crush them into small pieces. For faster decomposition, you can grind the shells into a fine powder using a clean blender, coffee grinder, or mortar and pestle.
Eggshell powder can then be sprinkled around the base of plants or mixed into garden soil. Because eggshells are primarily calcium carbonate, they can slowly contribute calcium to the soil as they break down. Calcium is an essential plant nutrient and plays an important role in normal plant growth.
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