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Using Egg Shells in the Garden

Crushed Shells Boost Garden Soil’s Calcium Content, Deter Pests

Mar 2, 2009 Rota Knott

Egg shells can be used to provide a valuable source of calcium for growing plants and to aid in deterring pests without the use of chemicals in a vegetable garden.

Increase Calcium

Egg shells can be used to provide a valuable source of calcium for growing plants and to aid in deterring pests without the use of chemicals in a vegetable garden.

A healthy sprinkling of crushed egg shells can be added and tilled directly into the garden soil. They can also be added to the soil mixture of seedlings or to the bottom of potted plants. Be sure the shells do not come in contact with plants stems, which could be injured by the sharp edges.

When setting tomato plants in the garden, add some egg shells to the soil of the planting to help increase the calcium content and prevent diseases like blossom end rot. Fast growing plants are particularly susceptible to calcium loss and can benefit from a healthy dose of egg shells.

Shelling the Eggs

Shells from hard boiled eggs are best because they slip easily from the egg. While shells from freshly cracked eggs can be used as well, in order to deter pests it is best to rinse them with warm water to remove any sticky egg material before adding them to the garden. Let them air dry and store them until ready to use.

While wearing gardening gloves, carefully crush dry eggshells. Crushing the egg shells help them to break down more quickly and supply calcium to plants. They can also be added to a compost pile that will eventually be spread in the garden.

Deter Pests

Crushed egg shells can also naturally assist in deterring some pests from a vegetable garden. The sharp edges of the shells can be deadly to any slithering creatures, such as slugs and cutworms, that may find their way into the veggie patch.

Spread crushed egg shells in a circle near the base of young vegetable plants. When the pests make their way toward the vegetable plants, they will be deterred by the rough edges of the crushed shells. The pests will not crawl across them because the egg shells will cut and cause them to dehydrate and eventually die.

Don’t Waste the Water

The water used to cook hard boiled eggs is also a valuable source of calcium. Allow the cooking water to cool to room temperature and then simply pour it around the base of vegetable or house plants to provide added nutrients.

Never wet the leaves of plants. Excess moisture may promote the growth of diseases the can damage or kill tender vegetable plants.

The copyright of the article Using Egg Shells in the Garden in Organic Gardens is owned by Rota Knott. Permission to republish Using Egg Shells in the Garden in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.