Stop throwing away eggshells: 9 ways to reuse them
In the past, as soon as I cracked eggs I was using, I would throw the shells straight into the trash. In recent months, however, I’ve realized that this is a pretty stupid thing to do.
I’ve learned that eggshells can be very useful. By saving them for later use, you might just be helping your garden. It’s true, it’s no coincidence that eggshells are used everywhere by avid gardeners.
Here are 9 reasons why you should give eggshells a chance. With the following tips, your houseplants will be thriving in no time. Plus, none of the tips are complicated to implement.
Take a look at the list below and don’t forget to share it with your friends so they can put their eggshells to good use too. They’ll love it!
1. Nutrients for the soil
Eggshells decompose quickly and can provide many nutrients to the soil. Among other things, the shells contain calcium and other valuable minerals. If you have enough eggshells, you can really enrich your soil.
2. Drainage
Digging holes and placing eggshells under your plants can help increase the soil’s drainage capacity and air circulation. This, in turn, helps plants stay healthy. Keep in mind that you’ll need to replace the eggshells as they degrade.
3. Tomatoes
Tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers can suffer from calcium deficiency during their growth, causing them to rot. One tip to prevent this is to bury eggshells in the soil. As mentioned earlier, the calcium they contain can be absorbed by the soil and then used by plants.
4. Keep snails and worms away
A classic gardening trick is to scatter broken eggshells around plants, flowers, and crops.
Apparently, shells are good for repelling snails and worms because they don’t like being covered. All without touching pesticides!
5. Keep deer away
Okay, not all of you have to worry about deer among your plants, but for those who do (more rural readers), deer apparently hate the smell of eggshells.
6. To germinate young shoots
If you’re thinking of planting seeds, eggshells can be perfect as biodegradable pots. Rinse the shell, place your shells in a cardboard box near the windowsill, and secure the soil and sprouts. This way, the plants also receive a calcium boost (as mentioned earlier). When the sprouts get too big, simply place the shells in the soil. Of course, it’s a good idea to make a hole in the eggshell so the roots can spread.
7. Bird food
Small birds love crushed eggshells because they’re high in calcium. When birds flock to your garden, they offer even more benefits—including their own pest control methods!
8. pH balance
The pH balance of your soil can affect the color of certain flowers. Take, for example, hydrangeas, which can turn pink or blue depending on the acid-alkaline balance of your soil. If your soil is too acidic, using eggshells to balance the pH can be a good idea.
9. Compost
Eggshells can be a great addition to compost piles. Remember to grind the shells first for best results!
With these few tips, you can reduce waste and help your plants at the same time – and it’s so easy to do!
Don’t forget to share these tips with your friends so they can benefit from these tricks for using eggshells.