This blog post is for the backyard garden enthusiast—especially if you grow patio tomatoes or peppers!

For many years now, thanks to some sage advice from my mom, I’ve been saving and using my eggshells to add to the soil around the roots of my tomato plants. Eggshells are a great source of calcium, adding some much needed minerals and nutrients for growing plants. Bonus, it’s chemical free and all natural!

I’ve normally been crushing them up by hand and sprinkling them in the soil, but often finding that they didn’t decompose. So I’ve decided that the best solution is to take the process one step further by grinding them up into a fine powder. Come spring, I’ll rototill into the soil of my garden beds, as well as sprinkle into the pots or near the roots where I grow tomatoes and peppers.

What about eggshells as pest control?
I have also tried to use eggshells to help with repelling slugs, but never to any success. The best natural slug bait I’ve come across is putting a little beer in a container buried to ground level.

Eggshell Fertilizer for the Garden

• Save those eggshells, as many as you’d like!

Start by collecting eggshells over the fall and winter. I like to keep a mason jar on my counter where I can pop the shells in as I’m cooking. When the jar is full, and dry, I place the shells in a large container. (I’ll continue to collect eggshells over the spring and summer for fall rototill.)

It’s important to make sure the eggshells are dry. You can rinse them off with water first, but I don’t bother with the extra hassle.

As spring hits, and garden preparations begin, put the eggshells in a blender and pulse until a fine powder forms. Be careful not to inhale the dust. I’ll keep the lid on the blender until the dust settles, and I wear mask. Store the powder in a container until you are ready to use in the garden.

Not all plants may like the added calcium, I recommend doing some research if you want to use on indoor plants or flower beds. Plants that I know like the added calcium are: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. A healthy little sprinkling should do!