Use an eggshell as a biodegradable plant starter.
via Shutterstock.
My handy hubby announced the other day that it was not good to put egg shells down the garbage disposal. Since we eat a lot of eggs, I had to figure out something (other than just into the garbage can) to do with those shells. I found some great ideas and I’m sharing them with you.
Here are my top 8 ideas for using eggshells:
- Mix crushed, boiled eggshells in with your coffee grounds. This is supposed to decrease the bitterness. Make sure the egg shells come off eggs that have already been boiled (since sometimes there is yucky stuff on the outside of egg shells).
- Enhance your tomato plants. Put egg shells in the hole when you plant your tomato plants. This adds calcium to the soil and will make for a healthier plant which keeps away blossom end rot. (Savings of approximately $10 for calcium plant supplements plus the added savings of keeping your tomatoes organic.)
- Use them as mini pots for starting plants. Put the half shells back into the egg carton. Fill 2/3 with soil. Add seeds and water. When the seedling is ready for transplant, just crack a hole in the bottom for drainage and plant the entire shell in the dirt. One dozen eggs are equivalent to 24 biodegradable plant starter pots that cost $16.
- Clean out the inside of thin necked flower vases. Crush the shells into small pieces. Put in the vase with water and a bit of dish soap. Swish the mixture around. The egg shells will help to clean the gunk off the inside. It is best to let the mixture sit in the vase for a little while to soften the gunk before trying to clean. You can also use rice for this cleaning method. I know that this works, because I have used it many times. There is a product called the Original Buddy which takes a stab at vase cleaning. I’m not sure that it works, but it seems like a fun idea. Cost $9 plus tax plus shipping and handling. I’ll stick with the egg shells.
- Protect your garden from slugs. Spinkle crushed eggshells around your garden. The jagged edges keep the slugs away. I have plenty of slugs, so I am trying this one for sure. Diatomaceous Earth Insect Dust at $16.95 a bag is based on the same theory of sharp edges keeps the slugs away.
- Make your own egg shell sidewalk chalk. Grind 8 egg shells. Add 1 teaspoon hot water and 1 teaspoon white flour. If you want colored chalk add a bit of food coloring. Mix well. Put the mixture into a mold to set. You can use toilet paper rolls for large pieces of chalk. You can usually pick up sidewalk chalk at the 99 Cent Store, but I love the idea of making chalk in different shapes. Would be a great addition to a kidz summer theme party.
- Add to bone broth for extra calcium. When you are making that super healthy bone broth, add a few egg shells from organic free range eggs. The extra calcium helps make strong bones and regrow your teeth. The cost of maintaining bones and teeth can be astronomical. Over the counter supplements can be quite costly and many times are not as effective as natural real food.
- Turn them into a giant Eggshell Land. Eggshelland is a unique Easter Display, presented by Ron and Betty Manolio of Lyndhurst, Ohio. The entire front yard is transformed into different eggshell mosaic designs each year.
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price.
I guess you learn something new every day! I always was under the impression that eggshells – somehow – sharpen the blades! I guess when you hear it often enough, you believe it even if it isn’t true! I will try the eggshells when I plant my tomatoes and crush them around the garden to keep away teeny varmints!
@Michelle Ventresca Glad you can use these tips, Michelle! Let us know how it works out. My arugula looks like it’s growing again, but everything else is still dead. I want to pull out the scrap from my garden beds this weekend in preparation for spring planting. It’s almost gardening season!!!!
I just throw them in my compost pile. But sometimes I will crush some up and leave near the bird feeders since the birds can eat them for calcium.
@Chris I find that if I toss my eggshells into the compost, they don’t decompose significantly over a few months. In fact, they look the same as when I tossed them in! You have to grind them up so they become part of the mixture.
Putting eggshells in with coffee grounds comes from the days when coffee was boiled in a big pot on the stovetop. The shells helped to settle the grounds on the bottom of the pot. I wouldn’t put them in the grounds of my coffeemaker, as there’s no real benefit from that. However… I do like your ideas about their usefulness in the garden, as well as in bone broth. Never thought of that. Thanks for sharing!
@Chris – Oh, I like the idea of leaving them out for the birds. I’ve got a ton of birds and other critters. Thanks.
Eggshells do not naturally turn into compost. As BB pointed out, they need to be ground up and added to the mix. I, too, like the idea of leaving them out for the birds. I’ll give that a try also!
I put them in water and let them soak for a day and use it to water my houseplants. The calcium and protein
work wonders and the mixture is great for reviving sick plants
@cathy terhune Great tip! I never thought about trying to revive dying plants with anything but sunshine and water.