Re: What do you do with egg shells

JonFrum 6/3/2012, 10:56 pm

Egg shells are not a solution for blossom end rot. Blossom end rot occurs when the plant is in a high transpiration condition. That's like sweating for us. Water is drawn up from the roots, and then evaporates from the leaves through tiny holes. When too much water is drawn through the leaves from the rest of the plant, calcium goes with it. Thus, the fruit don't get the necessary calcium and BER occurs. So BER is not a lack of calcium in the soil, it's the mis-allocation of calcium within the plant.

I do run eggshells through the blender, and then either add them to the compost pile or just sprinkle them in the gardens. But dolomite lime also provides plenty of calcium as well. With my acidic soil, it's a good idea to add lime for many crops, and it supplies both calcium and magnesium as well.

**camprn** 6/3/2012, 11:04 pm

Thanks for the info Jon, and What do you do with egg shells - Page 2 396615

to the forum.

**Kelejan** 6/4/2012, 12:27 pm

Welcome JonFrum, and thanks for your knowledegeable posting. What do you do with egg shells - Page 2 61949

Nonna.PapaVino 3/30/2013, 11:39 pm

Our local paper suggests: After cracking a couple of eggs, rinse out the eggshells and microwave them on a paper towel or microwave-safe plate for about 3 minutes. This will not only sterilize the shells, but will make them very dry and easy to pulverize. (Think I'd use a rolling pin instead of my hands, though.) The powdered shells make great fertilizer for roses, rhododendrons, hydranges and, of course, tomatoes.

Lillyz 3/31/2013, 4:44 pm

Nonna.PapaVino wrote:Our local paper suggests: After cracking a couple of eggs, rinse out the eggshells and microwave them on a paper towel or microwave-safe plate for about 3 minutes. This will not only sterilize the shells, but will make them very dry and easy to pulverize. (Think I'd use a rolling pin instead of my hands, though.) The powdered shells make great fertilizer for roses, rhododendrons, hydranges and, of course, tomatoes.

this might be a dumb question, but why do you sterilize the egg shells?

**llama momma** 3/31/2013, 5:05 pm

Here is a good way to pulverize eggshells - put the shells in a used cereal bag liner from a cereal box and a rolling pin. The bag is tough enough to handle the rolling pin and shells, then use a twist tie to close it up or pour it into a plastic storage container.

Nonna.PapaVino 3/31/2013, 5:15 pm

Lillyz, My guess is to dry the shells thoroughly, and in the microwave process, becomes sterilized and less likely to eventually give off less-than-nice odors if you plan on collecting shells for, say, collecting over winter for spring supplements. Just guessing, since I didn't write the little paragraph I found in the newspaper, but I do like the quick way of thoroughly drying the shells. Nonna

**RoOsTeR** 3/31/2013, 6:16 pm

We use an old electric coffee grinder to grind our egg shells. Most of our egg shells get thrown out right back to chickens to enjoy. The rest get ground up and added to compost.

Here is another idea for egg shells:
http://nourishedmagazine.com.au/blog/articles/how-to-make-calcium-using-egg-shells

CindiLou 4/1/2013, 12:55 am

I just rinse mine off and toss in the bin for the composter.

audrey.jeanne 4/2/2013, 9:59 pm

I microwave my eggshells to kill any e-coli or other bad bacteria in case my compost piles don't heat up adequately. Just a precautionary measure I picked up from reading somewhere.

One of those quick steps that might not be necessary but aren't a big deal to do.
Audrey

**camprn** 4/3/2013, 5:55 am

I just pitch the shells into the compost container. They get crushed and decompose in the compost heap all on their own. Very Happy

bnoles 4/3/2013, 7:50 am

camprn wrote:I just pitch the shells into the compost container. They get crushed and decompose in the compost heap all on their own.

+1

yolos 4/3/2013, 10:14 am

I crush mine by hand and put in a big cup. When the cup is full I put them in a tuff ziplock bag, take them outside, put the bag on the concrete driveway, and gently pound the heck out of them with a rubber mallet until they are very fine. I then put them in the freezer (just to get them out of the way of my grandson who wants to put them in the compost pile NOW) and wait till time to plant tomatoes. Then I put them in the bottom of the holes when I plant the tomatoes. But recently I think I read that they take so long to break down that the tomatoes will not benefit from them in the year they are planted.

Nonna.PapaVino 4/3/2013, 10:39 am

Peeled a bunch of hard-boiled eggs yesterday; most peeled well, but some retained a bit of egg white stuck to them. So, I microwaved the whole batch for 5 minutes. Amazing, how dry they came out and how easily they smashed up. Yolos, It appears to be true that egg shells take quite a while to break down, but those are mostly large shells found undecomposed in the compost. Smashed almost to a powder, though, I should think they'd break down pretty fast. My theory, anyway.

countrynaturals 6/11/2016, 11:36 pm

We have free range chickens. If I dried their egg shells, then put them through our coffee grinder, could I work them into my garden soil to add calcium? Is this worth doing? Are there any veggies that would NOT want the extra calcium? Would it be of immediate use to the plants or have to break down first? geek

countrynaturals 6/11/2016, 11:41 pm

GWN wrote:
I was having some blossom end rot on my peppers last year and just crushed up some eggshells and sprinkled them around the stems working them into the soil a bit, not sure if that was what did it, but the blossom end rot did improve.. This year I am attempting my own compost and have been throwing them in there, but may save some for the beds too if I find that it will be beneficial.

I have read where it is good to crush egg shells and apply it to gardens, but that it DOES take awhile for it to break down in to a usable form of calcium for the plants, SO don't give up......

Well there ya go -- if I had done a search BEFORE posting, I wouldn't feel so stoopid right now. Embarassed

countrynaturals 6/11/2016, 11:43 pm

rowena___. wrote:you can also boil the egg shells first, with just a splash of vinegar in the water, which will bring out some of the calcium. use this to water your plants for an immediate boost in calcium, then use the eggshells as amendments.

I LOVE THIS FORUM! thanks

**jimmy cee** 6/12/2016, 5:10 am

I save all eggshells we use.
In planting season they are crushed by hand, then ground in a coffee grinder to a powdery consistency.
When planting tomato's and peppers, I'll make a 50 / 50 mix of these and epsom salts.
Then add 1 or 2 tablespoons to each planting hole, mixing well in the hole before planting.
I do this for no specific reason as it makes me feel good and I know it does not affect the rhizosphere in a negative way.

**Scorpio Rising** 6/12/2016, 10:38 am

I save my eggshells too. Crush 'em by hand and into the compost pile they go!

herblover 6/12/2016, 4:20 pm

Two different uses for me. From Jan-June they get crushed and added to the birdseed to provide extra calcium to the shells; July-Dec in the compost pile.

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What do you do with egg shells