🥚 Here’s Why You Want to Hang a Mesh Bag of Eggshells in Your Garden
If you’re someone who cooks often, chances are you toss your eggshells without a second thought. After all, they’re just waste… right?
Wrong.
Gardeners in the know have a clever little trick that’s as weird as it is effective: they hang a mesh bag of crushed eggshells in their garden — and once you understand why, you’ll never throw another shell away.
Let’s break it down — because this is one of those “why didn’t I do this sooner?” tips that helps both your plants and your kitchen waste habits.
🧠 The Science Behind It: Why Eggshells Matter
Eggshells are about 95% calcium carbonate, the same stuff that makes up limestone. For plants, calcium is essential — it strengthens cell walls, supports root development, and helps prevent common issues like blossom end rot in tomatoes and peppers.
But it gets better: eggshells also add trace minerals like magnesium and phosphorus — all while improving soil structure and aeration when they eventually break down.
🧺 Why Hang Them in a Mesh Bag?
Crushing eggshells and immediately tossing them into the soil works fine, but hanging them in a mesh bag first has major advantages:
- They dry out naturally
Prevents mold and rot.
Keeps things clean and odor-free.
- Easy to collect over time
Just drop your rinsed eggshells into the bag as you use them.
When you’ve got enough, you can crush them further and apply them all at once.
- Pest deterrent
Some gardeners swear the smell of eggshells repels deer and small critters.
Crushed shells sprinkled around plants can deter slugs and snails (they hate the sharp edges).
🥄 How to Do It:
Rinse your eggshells after cracking them — remove any yolk or egg white residue.
Let them air-dry (or just toss them directly into a mesh produce bag).
Hang the bag on a garden fence, shed hook, or balcony rail where it gets some airflow.
Once full and dry, crush the shells by hand or with a rolling pin, then sprinkle around your plants or mix into your compost.
🌱 Pro Tip: Add Eggshells to These Plants
Eggshells are especially useful for:
Tomatoes 🍅
Peppers 🌶️
Eggplants 🍆
Spinach and leafy greens 🥬
Houseplants (just mix lightly into potting soil)
You can even blend crushed shells into your soil before planting seedlings to give them a nutrient-rich start.
🧁 Bonus Kitchen Tip: Save Time by Baking
If you’re short on time or want to sterilize the shells quickly, bake them at 200°F (95°C) for 10 minutes. This dries them faster and makes them even easier to crush. You can do this whenever you’re already using the oven — zero waste, zero effort.
🌼 Final Thoughts
Eggshells may seem like kitchen scraps, but they’re actually a secret weapon for your garden — and all you need is a mesh bag and a little patience.
So next time you crack an egg for a recipe, don’t toss the shell. Hang it up, let nature do its thing, and give your plants a boost — all while cutting down on food waste.
Simple. Smart. Sustainable.
And once you try it, you’ll wonder why everyone isn’t doing it.
