How to Use Eggshells for Potted Plants

Eggshells are a great natural source of calcium, potassium, and other micronutrients that are vital for plant growth. Instead of throwing your eggshells away, you can use them to benefit your potted plants. Here are some ways to use eggshells in your potted plant setup:

Crush Eggshells and Mix with Soil

One of the easiest ways to use eggshells is to crush them up and mix them with the soil in your potted plants. All you need to do is collect your eggshells, rinse them off, let them dry completely, and then crush them into small pieces.

You can then add the crushed eggshells to your potting soil to add some beneficial calcium to help your plants grow strong and healthy. You can add about a tablespoon of crushed eggshells per pot, depending on the size of your pot and how much soil is in it.

Use Eggshells as a Natural Pest Repellent

If you are dealing with pests like slugs, snails, or even squirrels, you can use eggshells as a natural pest repellent. Pests don't like the rough texture of crushed eggshells, so they will avoid crawling over them to get to your plants.

To use eggshells as a pest repellent, you can sprinkle crushed eggshells around the base of your potted plants or create a barrier around the edge of your pot to deter pests from climbing in. This is a great alternative to using harmful pesticides that can harm the environment or your plants.

Create Your Own Eggshell Fertilizer

If you want to create your own fertilizer using eggshells, it is easy to do. All you need to do is save your eggshells and rinse them off. Then, let them dry completely and crush them into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle or a blender.

Once you have your eggshell powder, you can add it to a compost pile or mix it with water to create a liquid fertilizer. To make the liquid fertilizer, just add a few tablespoons of eggshell powder to a gallon of water and let it steep for a few days. Then, use the fertilized water to water your plants.

Use Eggshells to Start Seedlings

If you want to give your seedlings a boost, you can use eggshells as a natural and biodegradable seed starter. All you need to do is save your eggshells and rinse them off. Then, carefully tap a small hole in the bottom of the eggshell to allow water to drain out.

Next, add some potting soil to the eggshell and then add your seedling. The eggshell will protect the seedling and also provide some additional calcium and other micronutrients to your plant.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many ways to use eggshells in your potted plant setup. So, don't throw away your eggshells and start incorporating them into your plant care routine to help your plants thrive.