Could Saving Egg Shells Be Detrimental? Do This Now

October 22, 2025

On the homestead there has to be a closed loop system.

Is a closed loop system easy to achieve? Not always. Are there steps you can take to move towards this mindset? ABSOLUTELY! The easiest and smallest step you can take right now whether on acres of living in an apartment, would be to help give back to your soil by saving your egg shells.

Your soil and your plants need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to be in a harmonious balance but at times it may also need calcium. And in case you didn't know, egg shells are nothing but calcium. So, instead of buying up pricey soil amendments from the store, all you have to do is utilize what you already have on hand by putting in a little effort.

Another great benefit to adding egg shells to your soil is...

...preventing blossom end rot. Blossom end rot is a physiological disorder that usually effects fruits such as tomatoes, squash, peppers and eggplants. What happens is the skin that is at the blossom end, which is the opposite end of the stem, cracks opens and then rots. This will eventually lead to a lower harvest yield and is usually caused by a calcium deficiency in the soil. Saving your egg shells can quite literally save your a....fruit, I mean, fruit!

But saving egg shells for soil is not the only benefit.

You can do quite a bit with egg shells. Here are three ways you can use them in addition to a soil amendment:

Feed egg shells to your chickens. I know what you are thinking...why would I do that?! Feeding egg shells to your chickens can actually provide them with much needed calcium, which will strengthen the eggs they produce.
Add some egg shells to your worm bin. Again, calcium richness is not only wonderful for your soil but your worms benefit from them as well.
And oddly, you can use them as a stain remover! Just mix a spoonful of egg shell powder with a little bit of vinegar...bada-bing bada-boom.

When it comes to storing your eggs shells, a lot of people ask, "But don't the egg shells smell?"

They don't actually. But here is the trick, you need to microwave the shells for about a minute and 30 seconds before you store them. Or if you are an anti-microwaver...which hey man, I get it! You can turn that awesome oven of yours on and heat those babies up. I'd say 325 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.

What does heating the egg shells do?

Heating the egg shells kills off any of the bacteria left on the shells that will cause odor. This will also allow you to store a pretty good amount before moving on the the next step.

Speaking storing... to all the woman out there, here is another trick, get a container that makes your heart smile. I mean, if you are going to have to look at it all day sitting on the counter, it might as well be nice to look at.

Let's get to it, shell we. Haha get it, "SHELL" we, like egg shell, haha, ok no seriously, let's do this.

Saving Egg Shells

Step one:

You want to find a container to store your egg shells in everyday until you have enough to make a decent bags worth. The container is going to be stored on your counter, so pick one that's decent looking. I didn't want to go buy anything so we used an old dog vitamin container and I just painted it.

Step two:

Now, what you want to do before you dump these little shells of gold in your container is microwave the shells for one minute and thirty seconds. Or heat them in the oven at 325 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. After you are done heating them, toss them in that awesome container until full.

Step three:

Now comes the fun part. Drop a little at a time in a food processor or high powered blender. You want to process or blend until the shells become really fine, almost powder like. This makes it so much easier to incorporate it into your soil.

Step four:

Pour into a bag and label. Don't skip the labeling part, you may think you will remember what is inside the bag but 6 months to a year down the road you'll be standing there staring at this bag full of white powder scratching your head. I promise! And that is it, how easy was that. Just by doing this one simple act you can save those fruits AND help create a closed looped system on your homestead.

How to use your egg shells in the garden.

Using your egg shell powder in the garden is incredibly easy.

You can mix them into your compost/soil mixture when getting ready to plant. All you need is a cup full.
Slightly dust the bottom of your planting hole with the powder before placing your plant inside. This will ensure the roots have clear access to the calcium.
Or you can sprinkle it on top of the soil after planting. Just be sure to gently mix it into that top part of your soil using your fingers.