The next time you crack a few eggs, don’t toss them. If you garden, there are many nutrients found in eggshells that your plants can benefit from. Simply crush them and toss them in your garden.
Plants need calcium to thrive. Calcium helps the plants develop a strong cellular structure. Calcium deficiency is visible in young plants, because the leaves are twisted or have black spots, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In fruiting plants, such as tomatoes, a lack of calcium is evident when the fruits develop blossom end rot, or a thin, dark spot on the bottom of the fruit. An additional benefit of eggshells in the garden is that larger shell pieces help deter slugs. The sharp edges of the shells irritate the soft bodies of the slugs.