Surprisingly, many people throw away eggshells without realizing their potential benefit to plants. These shells, in fact, can be a valuable aid for the health and growth of plants thanks to their richness in nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. There are several ways to use eggshells for plants, from making natural fertilizers to making biodegradable pots. Plus, using eggshells for plants is an eco-friendly and free option for gardeners and plant enthusiasts.

The usefulness of eggshells for plants

Eggshells can be used to great advantage as seedlings, thanks to their suitable size. By selecting the largest eggs, we can use the entire large part of the shell as a container for the initial phase of seedling development, obtaining excellent results. Furthermore, these peels constitute a completely biodegradable solution, which once decomposed in the soil, will enrich the soil and contribute to making it healthy and nutritious thanks to its rich composition. After having filled the shell with a good substrate, it is possible to plant the selected seeds and keep the seedbed protected until the seedlings have reached the necessary size to be transplanted directly, along with the shell, into the ground.

Eggshell is an excellent fertilizer.

By crushing the eggshells and mixing them with the soil, whether in a flower bed or container, they will slowly degrade, releasing their high calcium content into the soil, acting as an eco-friendly, biological and economical fertilizer. In addition, eggshells can be used as a specific fertilizer for some plants, such as roses, that need a good supply of calcium. Once the peels are completely dry, grind them into a fine powder and mix them with ground coffee to increase their effectiveness.

Eggshell: natural remedy against snails

Eggshells can also be used as a natural remedy for slugs. Break them into small pieces and spread them over the plants to protect them from slug attack without resorting to chemical pesticides. Finally, eggshells can be added to the compost, enriching it with calcium and also functioning as decomposition activators. Mix them with a little water and vinegar and add them to the compost to enrich it with the right amount of calcium. The eggshell provides calcium, strengthening the shaft. In addition, eggshells help prevent the appearance of blossom-end rot in tomato seedlings or the dark spots that usually form on tomato seedlings and peppers.