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Eggshells, frequently overlooked as kitchen waste, are actually valuable for gardening and around the house. Eggshells can significantly contribute to a lively, sustainable garden by promoting plant growth and improving soil health. It can also be used in crafts or to support pets. So, the next time you use an egg, consider saving the shell instead of throwing it away.

Here are 14 exciting ways to utilize eggshells.

Starting Seedlings

Plantings seeds in eggshells and labeling them with small plant tags.
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Kickstart your seedlings in eggshells for an eco-friendly beginning. Half an eggshell filled with soil provides the perfect biodegradable pot for starting seeds. Once the seedlings are ready, plant eggshells directly into your garden. The eggshell will eventually decompose, enriching the soil with calcium.

For the Compost

composting food scraps and eggshells
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Adding eggshells to your compost pile is a simple way to increase the calcium content of your garden soil. This is crucial because calcium is key to strong plant cell walls. Crushed eggshells mix seamlessly into compost, eventually enriching the soil with nutrients that support healthy plant growth.

10 Compelling Reasons to Start Composting Today

Give Your Garden a Boost

placing crushed eggshells into a hole for tomato plant
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Placing crushed eggshells in the planting hole can provide a significant growth boost when planting seedlings like tomatoes or eggplants. This practice supplies essential nutrients and promotes healthy root development, ensuring a smooth transition for the plant from pot to garden.

Side Dressing

Hand feeding crushed eggs shells onto plants as natural garden organic fertilizer at home
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Sprinkling crushed eggshells around your plants increases soil calcium levels. Apply a layer of eggshells under the drip line of tomato plants to encourage fruit set.

Eggshell Tea

watering can bucket
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Eggshell tea is an excellent way to deliver nutrients directly to plants’ root zones. Soak crushed eggshells in hot water, let the mixture cool, and use it to water your plants. This nutrient-rich tea is especially beneficial for vegetable gardens, providing a weekly dose of essential minerals.

Boost Your Dog’s Calcium Level

dog in garden
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Eggshells are a great source of amino acids, vitamins, and calcium, among other nutrients. Adding them in small amounts to your dog’s diet can boost their health, especially by providing extra calcium without much expense.

To use eggshells, crush them into a fine powder and mix them into your dog’s food. Here’s an easy recipe to follow. Before making these changes to your dog’s diet, consult your local vet to ensure the eggshells are a good fit for their current meals.

Use as a Candle Holder

candle in eggshells
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If you enjoy crafting, DIY, and candle making, try making a candle with eggshells. Clean a broken half of an eggshell, place a wick inside, and pour wax directly into it.

Easy Beeswax Candle Recipe

Mulch

Seasonal works in the garden. Landscape design. Gardening. Ornamental shrub juniper.
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Crushed eggshells can be a valuable component of garden mulch, helping to retain moisture and improve soil structure. Mixing eggshells with organic mulch materials like leaf litter enhances the soil’s air and water movement, promoting a healthier garden.

10 Cheap Mulch Ideas for a Lush Garden

Keep Cats Away

cat in garden
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To deter stray neighborhood cats that often lurk around, scatter crushed eggshells around your garden beds. The sharp shells are uncomfortable on their paws, so they’ll avoid your beds.

For the Birds

bird feeder
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Birds, particularly during nesting season, benefit from the calcium in eggshells. Clean and crush eggshells before adding them to bird feeders. This simple act supports bird health and, by extension, aids in pest control and pollination in your garden.

How to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden

Chicken Feed

chickens
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Feeding crushed eggshells back to chickens is a form of nutrient recycling. It gives them a critical calcium boost, ensuring stronger eggshells in their future laying.

14 Best Chicken Breeds That Consistently Lay Great Eggs

Balance Soil pH

gardening
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Eggshells can help balance soil pH and aerate the ground. Their alkaline nature neutralizes acidic soil, benefiting plants that prefer neutral to slightly alkaline conditions. Additionally, their coarse texture enhances soil aeration, which is crucial for root health.

Pest Control

A small brown slug eats the leaves of the plant. Pests eat radish leaves. slug invasion in spring.
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A ring of crushed eggshells around plants can physically deter soft-bodied pests like slugs and snails. This method provides a safe and natural way to protect your plants without harsh chemicals.

Supporting Earthworms

Big beautiful earthworm in the black soil, close-up
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Eggshells benefit plants and earthworms, which are essential for healthy soil. The calcium in eggshells aids earthworm reproduction and growth, further enhancing soil structure and nutrient availability.

11 Reasons Banana Peels Are the Secret Ingredient Your Garden Needs

A Close up view of a white round plate with bananna peals piled into it on the green grass
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Banana peels are not just kitchen scraps but an excellent way to enrich your garden. Here are 11 reasons banana peels can be your garden’s secret ingredient.

11 Reasons Banana Peels Are the Secret Ingredient Your Garden Needs

12 Shocking Things You Should Never Put in the Trash

Female hands in rubber gloves pulling full garbage bag from trash bin near blue wall
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While we know to separate recyclables, we often group everything else without a second thought, neglecting the items that require special handling. Some of these items can be harmful to people, pets, and the environment, so it’s important to dispose of them correctly. Here are 12 items you should never place in the trash – and what you can do with them instead.

12 Shocking Things You Should Never Put in the Trash

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