How Do You Put Eggshells Around Plants?

Crushed eggshells can benefit your plants by adding calcium to the soil and deterring some pests. Here's how to use them:

Preparing Eggshells

Clean and Dry: Thoroughly wash and rinse eggshells to remove any remaining egg residue. Then, completely dry them. You can air dry them or bake them in a low oven (around 250°F) for 7-10 minutes, as suggested in one source. [Source: YouTube video on feeding plants with eggshells]
Crush: Once dry, crush the eggshells into small pieces. You can do this by hand, using a mortar and pestle, or even a food processor for finer pieces.

There are several ways to incorporate eggshells around your plants:

Directly into the soil: Work crushed eggshells directly into the soil around the base of your plants, or add them to the bottom of planting holes before planting seedlings. [Source: Gardenesque blog on hidden benefits of eggshells]
Composting: Add eggshells to your compost pile. As the compost decomposes, the calcium from the eggshells will be released into the soil. [Source: Nourish and Nestle blog on amending soil with eggshells]
Sprinkling: Sprinkle crushed eggshells around the base of your plants, acting as a slow-release calcium supplement. [Source: Reddit thread on ground eggshells]
Liquid fertilizer: Although less common, you can create a calcium-rich liquid fertilizer by soaking eggshells in water. [Source: Nourish and Nestle blog on amending soil with eggshells]

Moderation: While beneficial, avoid overdoing it. Too many eggshells can alter soil pH.
Specific Needs: Eggshells primarily provide calcium. If your plants have other nutrient deficiencies, eggshells alone won't solve the problem.
Pests: While some sources suggest eggshells deter pests, the effectiveness varies depending on the pest.