Gardener’s Wisdom

photo credit: frostnova

Grandma always saved egg shells to use in the garden. She told me they helped the plants grow better. Egg shells are made up of calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate and magnesium carbonate. These minerals are needed by plants in our garden to stay healthy.

Egg shells can be crushed up and thrown in the compost pile and I’d like to give you 5 more ways you can use egg shells in the garden.

1. Make a Mini Planter Carefully tap a spoon around the top of a raw egg to break the shell. Empty out the contents; wash with very hot water and turn upside down to dry. Fill egg cup with soil and a seed, place in egg carton to stand upright and put in a warm place to germinate.

photo credit: Aaron Gustafson

Be careful not to overwater your new plant. When the plant is ready to be transplanted into the garden, gently crack the shell in a few places so the roots of the plants will reach the soil.

2. Use As Drainage Use crushed egg shells in the bottom of planting pot instead of rocks to keep the soil from falling out the drain holes. Make sure to wash the egg shells very well before adding to pot and make the egg shell pieces larger than the drainage holes.

3. Deter Slugs Use crushed egg shells around the stem of plants that are susceptible to cutworm or slug damage. The roughness of the egg shells can cut the soft bodies of slugs and cutworms and they would rather not travel over such a dangerous surface.

photo credit: nosha

4. Prevent Blossom End Rot Calcium deficiency is the main cause of blossom end rot in tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. Add finely crushed eggshells in the soil around the tomato plants and they will get the extra calcium they need.

5. Feed The Birds Crush up clean eggshells and add to the food you feed the wild birds with. They will benefit from the calcium and the extra grit that the crushed shells will provide.

I would love to hear how you use egg shells in your garden so please leave me a comment.

No related posts.