Easter may be over, but we’ve discovered another great use for eggs. Use egg shells to give tiny seedlings a head start before transferring them to a large pot, flower box or your garden. The shells even leach calcium into the soil, enriching it and your seeds.
To make these handy garden helpers you can use egg shells previously broken for cooking purposes (half shells are fine), or for a larger shell, gently break the egg at the pointy end and dump out the contents for reuse (click here for food safety tips). Rinse the empty shells in hot water and drain. If you’re feeling doodley, scribble faces, pictures or words on the shells to give them a certain panache. You could even color them using all-natural dyes.
When shells are clean and dry, place a cotton ball in the bottom of each one (to absorb moisture) and spoon in potting soil. Following the growing instructions of the seeds you’ve chosen, add them to the egg cup last. Using the non-Styrofoam egg crate your eggs came in is the easiest way to keep your egg planters steady and sturdy, but you could also line up the shells on a plate or in egg cups! Be sure your seeds are given access to the appropriate amount of sun and water, and be patient – good things come to those who wait.
When spring has sprung on your kitchen counter, transfer your seedlings – shells and all – to your vessel of choice. We all came from eggs once, so give your plants the same opportunity to grow up to be green and sexy like you.
Photograph by Eren.
