5 Useful Uses for Eggshells

Most people who bake are sure to have an abundance of disregarded eggshells at one time or another. But did you know, instead of throwing them away, you can repurpose them into many handy products for use in the home and garden?

Here we tell you our 5 unexpected uses for this baking by-product. 

1. Garden Helper

Quick to decompose, crushed eggshells make a valuable addition to any soil. Rich in calcium and other minerals, eggshells make a great natural fertiliser that can help your garden thrive.

Made of calcium carbonate, eggshells are a brilliant way to introduce this much needed mineral into the soil. Simply grind the egg shells and mix them in to the soil. It will take several months for the eggshells to fully breakdown and be absorbed by the plant so it’s suggested that this is done in Autumn, but you can also add more in the Spring.

You can also add the crushed eggshells to the bottom of a planting hole to help any new plants thrive.

2. Control Pesky Pests

Scattering crushed eggshells around your vegetables and flowers not only gives the compost a boost but also deters common garden pests who dislike the texture like slugs and snails, without using pesticides. 

 

3. Nurture Seedlings

No need for special plant pots or seedling trays. Simply fill your empty eggshell halves with potting compost and use them to start off seedlings indoors. The egg carton box can also be repurposed as a handy holder to keep your seedlings safe on your windowsill (they fit perfectly!) before transplanting them to your garden in the spring. 

Top Tip: When replanting the seedlings, simply crack the shell at the bottom and plant directly into the soil letting the shell naturally decompose.

4. Houseplant Booster

To give your houseplants a much needed boot just fill a jar with water and submerge your disregarded shell and use for watering the plants.

5. Cleans Tough Pots & Pans

Crushed eggshells mixed with soapy water makes a powerful and nontoxic abrasive for tough-to-clean pots and pans.