Egg shells for the garden.
Is a closed loop system easy to achieve? Not always. Are there steps you can take to move towards this mindset? ABSOLUTELY! The easiest and smallest step you can take right now whether on acres of living in an apartment, would be to help give back to your soil by saving your egg shells.
Did you know…
Your soil and your plants need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to be in a harmonious balance but at times it may also need calcium. And in case you didn’t know, egg shells are nothing but calcium. So, instead of buying up pricey soil amendments from the store, all you have to do is utilize what you already have on hand by putting in a little effort.
A lot of people ask, “But don’t they smell?”
They don’t actually. But here is the trick, you need to cook the eggshells for about a minute and 30 seconds in the microwave or for about 10 minutes in the oven at 350 degree, before you store them.
And to all the woman out there, here is another trick, get a container that makes your heart smile. I mean, if you are going to have to look at it all day sitting on the counter, it might as well be nice to look at.
Table of Contents
Benefits of Using Eggshells in Your Garden
Soil Stability
Eggshells contain around 90-95% calcium carbonate, also known as carbonic acid lime. Which is helpful to the plant because it loosens the soil allowing the roots of the plant to spread out and absorb necessary nutrients. Lime can also help to raise or stabilize the ph of your soil. Calcium carbonate is also super helpful with safeguarding your plants’ cell walls.
Prevents Blossom-End Rot
Blossom end rot is a physiological disorder that usually effects fruits such as tomatoes, squash, peppers and eggplants. What happens is the skin that is at the blossom end, which is the opposite end of the stem, cracks opens and then rots.
This will eventually lead to a lower harvest yield and is usually caused by a calcium deficiency in the soil. Saving your egg shells can quite literally save your a….fruit, I mean, fruit! Applying eggshells to the plant the chances of blossom-end rot significantly decreases.
Cost Effective
The use of soil amendments can become costly when it comes to growing nutrient dense food. Eggshells are typically in abundance in homes, even if you do not have chickens. Putting in a touch of work in order to save you tons of money in the future, just seems like a really efficient way to run your homestead.
Reduces Pests
Adding eggshells to your soil or to the base of your plants can actually keep pests like deer and even cats away. And if you apply a thin layer to the top soil of your plant, pests like slugs dislike the serrated edges of the shells. Making them think twice before demolishing your plant!
More Uses and Benefits of Eggshells
Feed egg shells to your chickens. I know what you are thinking…why would I do that?! Feeding egg shells to your chickens can actually provide them with much needed calcium, which will strengthen the eggs they produce.
Add some egg shells to your worm bin. Again, calcium richness is not only wonderful for your soil but your worms benefit from them as well.
And oddly, you can use them as a stain remover! Just mix a spoonful of egg shell powder with a little bit of vinegar…bada-bing bada-boom.
Let’s get to it, shell we. Haha get it, “SHELL” we, like egg shell, haha, ok no seriously, let’s do this.
How to turn eggshells into fertilizer
Step one:
You want to find a container to store your egg shells in everyday until you have enough to make a decent bags worth. The container is going to be stored on your counter, so pick one that’s decent looking. I didn’t want to go buy anything so we used an old dog vitamin container and I just painted it.
Step two:
Before storing these shells of gold you want to cook them a bit so all the bacteria on the shell dies. Simply microwave the shells for one minute and thirty seconds. Or if you have ditched your microwave, for obvious reasons, then bake your eggshells for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Then store in your container until you have enough for the next step.
Step three:
Now comes the exciting part. Drop a little at a time in a food processor or high powered blender. You want to process or blend until the shells become really fine, almost powder like. Sure you can just crush your eggshells but blending them into a powder makes it so much easier to incorporate it into your soil.
Step four:
Pour into a bag and label. Don’t skip the labeling part, you may think you will remember what is inside the bag but 6 months to a year down the road you’ll be standing there staring at this bag full of white powder scratching your head. I promise you will do your future self a favor!
And that is it my friend, how easy was that!
How to use your egg shells in the garden.
Using your egg shell powder in the garden is incredibly easy.
- You can mix them into your compost/soil mixture when getting ready to plant.
- Slightly dust the bottom of your planting hole with the powder before placing your plant inside.
- You can even use it for a light mulch on top of plants.
- To make an eggshell tea, simply add 1 part eggshell powder to 2 parts water. Allow to sit over night and then water the base of your plants the following day.
For another tip on how to turn kitchen staples into free fertilizer for your soil head over here where we get wild with bananas! And if you are curious on how to tell if your farm fresh eggs are still safe to eat, head on over here!
Until next time…
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