Find out what you can do with those eggshells after Easter

Easter! Quite a few eggs are 'used' in this period: boiled, in dishes, as Easter decorations... But don't just throw away those eggshells! Did you know you can use them for various purposes?

Tips

Grind them up and use them as fertiliser or as part of your potting soil. The eggshells are full of calcium and other minerals.

Use half eggshells to root or sow plants. Place the half eggshells in your cardboard egg box. Fill them with soil and sow your desired seeds in them. When you place them in the ground, first cut out your piece of the egg box. The cardboard decomposes in the soil, allowing space for the roots to grow. The eggshell slowly releases calcium to the plant, providing extra nutrition.

Use them to repel slugs. The eggshells do the same work as those chemical agents. Grind the shells finely and sprinkle them in a circle around your plants. This prevents slugs from devouring your vegetable garden.

As feed for... chickens and birds. Mix some crushed shells into the chicken or bird feed.

Beware

Do not eat (pieces of) eggshells yourself! Swallowing them can damage the throat or oesophagus. Some people make them into powder to supplement their daily calcium needs. Homemade eggshell powder is a cheap alternative to store-bought supplements. For this, it is necessary to let the shells dry very well and grind them in a blender. Then store in a well-sealed jar in a dry and cool place. For any information, please contact a physician or a certified nutritionist.

(FVDV - Illustration: ©Unsplash)