Are you someone who consumes lots of eggs every day and has tons of shells to throw out?

Well, let me tell you something: those eggshells you’re throwing away can quite literally be gold for your garden plants!   

In this article, I’ve curated a list of plants for you that would greatly benefit from eggshells. If you have any of them in your garden, that’s reason enough for you to not throw those shells away. 

But first…

Why Should You Use Eggshells In The Garden?

Well, if you didn’t already know, eggshells contain tons of natural calcium which can not only help improve the overall integrity and root system of your plants but also aid with better soil drainage. 

How To Use Eggshells For Plants?

I definitely wouldn’t suggest you just bury the half-cracked eggshells into the ground. They’ll have a hard time decomposing and it’s just impractical. 

A better solution would be to grind or crush your eggshells into a fine powder and mix that in with the soil to allow for the nutrients to release much more easily. 

Plants That Will Appreciate Eggshells

1: Tomatoes

In tomatoes, the calcium from eggshells can actually help prevent blossom-end rot, which is often caused by a lack of calcium in the soil.

The ideal way to go about it is to mix crushed eggshells into the soil right before you’re about to plant your tomatoes.

2: Peppers

Using eggshells for your pepper plants can be useful as the additional calcium aids with fruit development and prevents rot from spreading in the plants. 

For this, you may want to grind your eggshells into a fine powder because you’ll be sprinkling it around the base of your pepper plants. 

3: Eggplants

Eggplants very much need additional calcium to produce firm fruit with better overall structural integrity. 

In the case of eggplants, you want to work the crushed eggshells into the ground before you transplant your eggplant seedlings. That’s the right way to do it. 

4: Roses

As you may already know, roses prefer slightly more acidic to neutral soil for the best growth. The calcium from eggshells can help balance pH levels in the soil and lead to better blooming. 

Finely crush your eggshells and scatter them around the base of your rose shrubs once every few weeks. 

5: Strawberries

When it comes to strawberries, a calcium boost can actually limit the production of soft, mushy berries, which…yeah…you don’t want that…

Right before you plant your strawberries, add crushed eggshells to the soil and work it in for stronger, more robust growth. 

6: Cabbage

In cabbages, calcium from eggshells can help prevent tip burns which is a common deficiency that affects leafy greens. 

For cabbage, you don’t have to do anything fancy or technical. Simply crush and mix your eggshells into the soil around your cabbage seedlings and that’s pretty much it. 

7: Squash & Zucchini

Because squash and zucchini sort of fall under the same overall category, I thought I’d mention them together. Additional calcium helps prevent blossom-end rot and keep these fruits relatively firm. 

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To use, work eggshell powder into the topsoil near the base of the plant. 

8: Spinach 

Spinach can potentially benefit from a calcium boost and it may allow the leafy green to produce healthy, vibrant leaves that hold their shape no matter the conditions. 

For spinach, just add finely crushed eggshells to the soil before planting or as a top dressing. 

9: Basil

Wow, glad we finally have a herb here. Basil can utilize calcium to produce stronger stems and larger, more flavorful leaves. 

Simple mix crushed eggshells into the soil of herb beds or pots and enjoy better-tasting basil harvests. 

10: Beans

As much as beans can go on their own, a little nutrient boost doesn’t hurt. Beans need calcium to support strong stem growth and healthy pods. 

Since beans are commonly grown in planting holes, sprinkle your eggshell powder into the planting hole and let it work its magic. 

11: Broccoli

Calcium is an essential nutrient for broccoli as it allows the green vegetable to form firm and dense heads, which is what you want with this one. 

Ideally, you should crush and mix your eggshells into the soil a few weeks before planting your broccoli. 

12: Marigolds

Although marigolds are king when it comes to pest and insect repelling in the garden, slugs and snails can be a little more tricky to deter. 

Therefore, it’s a good idea to spread crushed eggshells around your marigolds as they act as a protective barrier protecting your flowers from unwanted insect intervention. 

Conclusion

The next time you have some eggshells lying around after your morning breakfast, try not to throw them away. Even advise your friends and family not to do that and try to collect some from them too to use in your garden. Your plants will greatly appreciate this effort from you.