The Best Ways to Reuse Eggshells Around Your Home and Garden

Enrich Your Garden Soil

Finely crushed eggshells make a gentle, natural addition to garden soil. “Eggshells are wonderful in the garden to fortify soil,” says certified master gardener Zakiya Roberts. Their calcium content helps strengthen plants and may even help prevent blossom-end rot in tomatoes and peppers, as a calcium deficiency is often the culprit.

Sprinkle them around your plants or mix them into the soil to create a mineral boost that nourishes growth throughout the season. Roberts recommends skipping the compost pile. "Be careful when adding eggshells to compost," she says. "They do not decompose quickly, and you may find eggshells present in your pile years later."

Craft Eggshell Mosaics

For a sustainable craft project, try creating a mosaic with painted or dyed eggshells. Arrange the colorful pieces on frames, coasters, or dollar-store ornaments to craft a textured, one-of-a-kind design. Seal with a clear varnish coat.

Start Seedlings

Halved eggshells make perfect miniature seed starters. Fill each one with a bit of potting mix and a single seed, then place them in an egg carton for easy handling. When the seedlings are ready to move outdoors, gently crack the shells and plant them directly in the soil. This will avoid transplant shock and reduce waste. "It is a wonderful example of the sustainable living movement we see happening in the form of reduce, reuse, recycle," says Roberts.

Repel Garden Pests

Some avid gardeners swear by crushed eggshells around the base of plants to create a natural barrier against slugs and snails. The theory is that the jagged edges discourage pests from crossing. “Use them as a deterrent to slugs and snails,” Roberts suggests, “and enjoy the added benefit of soil enrichment as they break down.”

Craft Ornaments

If you blow out eggs instead of cracking them, you can use the whole shells for the sweetest ornaments for Easter décor or even a bird-themed Christmas tree. Blue eggs need little more than a sprinkle of glitter, brown eggs are cute for a rustic theme, and white eggs can be dyed or painted, then decked with glitter, ribbon, and other festive adornments. Use the crown and hook from retired ornaments or buy new ones for an easy way to hang your creations—or simply use ribbon.

Add Calcium to Dog Food

With veterinarian approval, finely ground eggshells can also be used as a natural calcium supplement for healthy dogs. If your vet gives you the go-ahead, bake the shells at a low temperature until they’re fully dry, then grind them into a fine powder. Sprinkle the vet-recommended amount over your dog’s food to help support strong bones and teeth.

Make Vases

Blown-out eggshells make the sweetest little vases around, perfect for brunch or an Easter tablescape.