Eggs aren’t just for Sunday breakfast and egg shells don’t belong in the trash! Eggshells are rich in calcium carbonate (CaCO3 aka Lime1) helps feed soil and birds; shells also deter pests. Don’t toss fiber egg crate use a plant starter with or without the shells.
Crushed egg shells, mixed into soil, add organic matter while leaching nutrients. Chicken eggshells are over 96% calcium, about 0.3% phosphorus, and 1.0% nitrogen. The shell also contains trace amounts of various other minerals such as zinc, iron, manganese, copper, sodium, and potassium.
Shell Preparation: Lofty
- Sterilize eggshells by baking them at 250°F / 120°C for about ten minutes or until the shells are dry; avoid browning the inside.
- Crush shells in a bag if you have a few, for a larger quantity use a coffee grinder or food processor.
** Do you wash or not wash the shell?
According to Michigan State University Extension,2 it comes down to how much heat your composting process generates,
Per MSU:
“..Cooking eggs kills salmonella bacteria, so does the hot composting process when the temperature rises above 140-160 degrees Fahrenheit…”
Play it safe wash or bake your egg shells before using
Egg shell benefits:
- Once cooled, use water from hard-boiled eggs provide mild amounts calcium and potassium plant water.
- Increase plant waters calcium and potassium, boil shells in water and let set overnight; strain before using. You could also soak shells by placing them in hot water to seep for a few days. pro tip: kick it up with Epsom salts.3
- Foliar spray, use calcium infused water, this helps plants draw calcium into the plant.
- Birds need calcium too: Add crushed dried shells to your seed or suet. Female birds need calcium to strengthen their eggshells and recovery after egg laying.
- Mulching plants: Save your oven dried coarsely ground egg shells and spread around the tops of your patio planters or gardens. Not only does it amend soil but is a beautiful mosaic of color.
- Add finely crushed eggshells into hole when planting. Finely crushed shells break down the fastest; tomatoes and peppers love this technique. Pro Tip: Add one cup each of bone meal and kelp meal, along with Epsom salts, to get your plants off to a healthy start.
Egg shells act as a pest deterrent
- Deer dislike the smell of albumin, place shells around their favorite plants. Word of caution, egg eating vermin might be attracted to the area, not recommended near homes.
- Placing coarsely crushed egg shells around the base of plants to discourage slugs and snails has been common knowledge but debunked here: http://www.allaboutslugs.com/eggshell-myth-busted/
Don’t toss the fiber egg crate
- Repurpose the egg crate when planting your starters: mix plain unflavored gelatin with enough warm water creating a mix that suspends seed without them sinking. Combine gelatin mix with seed then fill a condiment squirt bottle; plant seeds by filling egg cups using the bottle. Alternatively, you could spoon fill the egg cups then spread seed by hand.
- Use whole eggshell as seedling starter. Poke a small drainage hole in the bottom of shell, place one shell in each egg crate cup, fill with seed starter mix, plant seeds, and watch them grow. Transplant direct into the soil; tap shell to break up a bit, allowing room for tender roots.
Final thoughts about gardening and calcium. Your local extension service will soil test to determine what amendments are needed for optimum plant growth. Large calcium deficiencies will need more calcium than slower release crushed shells provide. Follow the advice of your local extension service.Lofty
