Hi guys! Over the weekend my kids and I worked on a little seed-starting project. This project was a little bit different than my usual seed-starting projects. This time we tried starting seeds in eggshells! The kids were really into it (and naturally so was I) which made it a lot more fun.
I’m a few years into my gardening journey at this point and I still learn something new each and every day. New tips and tricks, learning new signs of plant stress, new ways to identify pest pressure – still learning all the things!
I think the hardest part about gardening at first was the false belief that I needed to do everything THE correct way. Sure, doing things correctly is great, but there isn’t just one correct way to do things in the garden. Everything depends so much on the specific set of conditions at your house. What works for one person may not work for another. I had to learn not to overthink things. Don’t think, just try!
This ultimately meant learning to enjoy the process. I had to let go of the feeling of failure when something didn’t thrive and recognize what I learned. “Now I know that this plant needs more sun” or “this plant attracts Japanese beetles.” It became so much more fun when I started thinking of everything as an experiment. How much can I push the limits?
“I wonder what would happen if I cut this back…”
“I wonder what will happen if I try to plant these seeds in July…”
“Let’s see if this spot gets enough sun to make this plant happy…”
There isn’t any failing, it’s learning! Enjoy the process. I know that sounds cheesy and I probably would have rolled my eyes at that a few years ago, but not now!
All that to say, today I am going to show you how to start seeds in eggshells! Whew!
Benefits Of Using Eggshells In The Garden
Eggshells provide a ton of benefits to the garden. They are made up of mostly calcium, which is super beneficial to your garden. They can be used as fertilizer, as pest prevention, and as bird food.
The benefits they bring to the seed starting process are:
- Eggshells lower soil acidity
- Eggshells discourage blossom end rot.
- Eggshells encourage root growth.
- Eggshells provide a no-waste method of growing
How To Start Seeds In Eggshells
Okay, how do you start seeds in eggshells? Easy. It’s pretty much the same as starting seeds in anything else. Gather up your soil, seeds, and water. The only real difference is that you must really think ahead about saving your eggshells.
We have scrambled eggs a lot for dinner on weeknights, so every time I would crack an egg I would keep in mind that I wanted to save that shell for seed starting. I would try my best to crack it toward the top, so that I would have as big a cell as possible for soil.
Clean your eggshells. I did this by thoroughly rinsing them after I emptied the egg. You can go a step further by using a little dish soap. You can go an even further step and sterilize them in the oven. 200 degrees for 30 minutes.
Before you start filling with soil, you will need to poke drain holes in the bottom of each eggshell. I used a metal kebob skewer, but a nail would have worked too.
Labeling. The great thing about seed starting in eggshells is that you can write the plant name directly on the shell. I found that a sharpie worked best for this, but you could also use a garden marker. Also, I prefer to label my plants before I plant my seeds. I find that it keeps things more organized.
Premoisten your soil. If you moisten your soil before you plant your seed, you reduce the amount of settling that occurs when you do the initial watering and you also prevent the seed from being dislodged. You want your soil evenly damp, but not soggy.
Start filling your eggshells with the premoistened soil. Gently tamp the soil down as necessary.
Plant your seeds. Insert the seeds to the depth stated on the back of the seed package. A general rule is that a seed should be planted at a depth 2x the width of the seed.
Gently water your seeds to make sure everything is set in place. A squirt bottle or garden sprayer works great.
Now you wait for germination! Keep in mind that some seeds require light to germinate. If that is the case, you will want to be sure to place your eggshells in a sunny spot while you wait for germination. Also keep in mind that the sunnier the spot, the quicker the seed will dry it. Seeds should be kept moist until germination occurs, so keep an eye on them!
Once your seeds have germinated you are halfway there!! I would wait until at least the first set of true leaves have sprouted before planting out in the garden. Remember, these are baby plants, so they need a little extra TLC at first. Planting out in the garden also depends on the weather in your area. Never plant outside before your last frost date!
Gently crack the eggshell to plant in the ground. Eggshells will naturally decompose, which is the beauty of using eggshells for seed starting, however that process takes a long time. By cracking the eggshell, it allows the roots of the plant to grow freely into the native soil. Crack the shell enough so the roots can escape, but not so much that it disrupts the roots that are already there. It’s a delicate dance!
Voila!
