Using eggshells as organic pest control is inexpensive, and easy! In this post, not only will I show you how to use eggshells in your garden, I will also show you exactly how to prepare them – including tips for cleaning and drying them, grinding them into powder, and storing the powder for later use.
The flea beetles have been worse than ever in my garden this summer, and the Japanese beetles are no fun either.
On top of that, the slugs have been turning my hostas into Swiss cheese (Ahhh, the joys of gardening).
I need all the help I can get fighting these and other destructive bugs in the garden organically.
Using Eggshells As Organic Pest Control
There is a well known organic pesticide called diatomaceous earth, which is basically the fossilized remains of creatures that are ground into a fine powder.
This works as a pesticide because it gets under the shells of beetles and acts like bits of glass to cut them up and kill them. Snails and slugs will also die if they slink across it.
Well guess what, ground eggshells can work the same way. I eat a lot of eggs, so I have plenty of eggshells.
Which means I can have the benefits of diatomaceous earth for free – Oh, and I’m all about free pest control!
Eggshells can help to control garden pests like flea beetles
How To Make Eggshell Powder For Your Garden
There are lots of uses for eggshells in the garden. So, whether you want to try using eggshells as organic pest control, or you plan to use it in other ways, the steps for making organic eggshell powder are the same.
Below I will show you how to prepare eggshells for garden use, and give you details of each of the steps.
The steps include cleaning and drying eggshells, grinding them into powder, how to use your eggshells as organic pest control, and how to store leftover eggshells or eggshell powder for later use in the garden.
How To Clean Eggshells
I get asked about the steps I use for cleaning eggshells before crushing them all the time. But the truth is, I don’t really fuss too much about this.
If there is yolk or a lot of egg whites left in the shells, I will give them a quick rinse with water before drying them.
But if they’re already fairly clean, I don’t bother taking the time to clean them. I’ve never had a problem with my eggshell powder stinking.
So, my advice on this would be… if your eggshells are dirty, then definitely rinse them with water before drying and crushing them.
Rinsing eggshells with water before drying and crushing
Methods Of Drying Eggshells
You’ll definitely need to allow the eggshells to dry out before crushing them, so don’t skip this step.
There are a few methods you could use for drying eggshells. Just as with cleaning the eggshells, my method for drying them isn’t fancy here either.
I simply lay them out on a paper towel and leave them sitting on the counter for a few days.
If I have a lot of eggshells to dry and I don’t want to clutter up my counters, then I toss them into a paper bag in the pantry where they dry out in a few days.
If you choose to toss them into a paper bag like I do, just make sure you don’t stack the eggshells.
Toss each one in there loosely, otherwise they won’t dry as fast, and they might even start to mold or stink (I’ve never had this problem with mine, but some people have).
I’ve also heard of people putting their eggshells into the oven on low and drying them that way. But I’ve never tried this method, so I can’t speak to it.
Air drying eggshells on a paper towel
How To Grind Eggshells Into Powder
Once the eggshells are completely dry they will be very brittle and break easily so you know they’re ready to be ground into powder. To grind eggshells into a powder, you can use a mini food chopper or a coffee grinder.
You’ll probably need to crush the eggshells up a bit before grinding them so you can fit more into the grinder at once.
I simply crush mine up in the paper bag or the paper towel quick before putting them into the grinder.
Grinding eggshells with a coffee grinder
In my experience, the best grinder for eggshells is a coffee grinder. The coffee grinder does a great job of grinding the eggshells into a powder.
When I used my mini food chopper, I found that the shell pieces were larger than the ones I crushed in the coffee grinder.
The food chopper still grinds the eggshells, but the result isn’t as fine of a powder as you get with the coffee grinder.
So, if all you have is a mini food chopper, then you can try using that. Otherwise, I recommend getting yourself an inexpensive coffee grinder to use as your eggshell grinder.
Organic eggshell powder ready to use
How To Use Eggshells In The Garden
After the eggshells are ground into powder, you can take them out to the garden and use them right away. To use eggshells as organic pest control, sprinkle the powder directly onto the pest insect.
Sprinkle crushed eggshells on Japanese beetles
Here I’m using it on the destructive Japanese beetles. They really don’t like it, and will start to squirm and move around. It won’t kill them right away, and sometimes they will fly away, but they’ll die in time.
Related Post: Grapevine Beetle Information & Organic Control Tips
Using eggshell powder on Japanese beetles
Be careful though, eggshells will kill any type of garden beetle – even beneficial ones. It’s best to sprinkle the eggshell powder directly on the specific pests you are trying to control.
I do not recommend sprinkling it all over your garden, or you could end up killing the good garden bugs by accident.
To use crushed eggshells for slugs, ants, and flea beetle control, sprinkle the eggshell powder around the base of the plant. Eggshell powder sprinkled around plants will need to be reapplied after a heavy rain.
Spread eggshells around hostas for organic slug control
Just be careful if you’re wearing dark pants, and don’t wipe your hands on your pants as you are spreading the eggshell powder (oops!). It can be a messy job.
Better yet, avoid the mess of spreading eggshell or diatomaceous earth powder by using a pest mini duster – awesome!
Making a mess with eggshell powder
How To Store Eggshells For Garden Use
As long as they stay dry, you can store eggshells or eggshell powder for later use in the garden. Simply store your unused eggshell powder in a dry location.
I keep mine on a shelf in my garage, it doesn’t matter if it freezes in the winter. You could also keep them in a pantry or even the fridge or freezer if you would rather.
Store unused eggshell powder in dry location
There are many uses for eggshells in the garden. They’re great for the health of your garden, and they add calcium to the soil. Simply toss them into the compost bin, or add the powder directly to your garden beds.
Be sure to try using eggshells as organic pest control in your garden too, and see if it works for you! Don’t worry, if you don’t have access to eggshells, you can buy diatomaceous earth for pretty cheap too.
Recommended Reading
- Bug-Free Organic Gardening: Controlling Pest Insects without Chemicals
- The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Pest and Disease Control
- The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook
More Info About Garden Pest Control
- Natural Garden Pest Control Remedies And Recipes
- How To Use Japanese Beetle Traps
- All About Ladybugs & Why They’re Good For Your Garden
Recommended Products
Have you tried using eggshells as organic pest control in your garden? Share your tips and experience in the comments below.
Mimi says
I save my eggshells for several months before gardening season. Then I put them in my Vita Mix. Yes, it made the container a bit “cloudy” due to the sharp edges of the shells, but it’s worth it to me to add these to a mix that I make to put in each hole before planting a plant and then sprinkling a bit over the plant roots before covering with soil.
Jo Ann Jennings Schmits says
I slide dried eggshells into the plastic sleeve from our newspaper. Gently hand crush once they are inside. No mess. Then before I store or use them I use a rolling pin over the plastic sleeve.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Great idea, thanks for sharing your method of crushing the eggshells. Always fun to hear how others do it. 🙂 Putting them into the grinder definitely makes a finer powder than crushing them as you mentioned.
dan says
I use good ol fashioned MORTIS AN PISTLE it gets the shells to any fineness you want even to powder,,hope I spelt it right haha
Lynn says
Does this work on houseplants?
Amy Andrychowicz says
You could try sprinkling crushed eggshells on top of the soil to help control fungus gnats. But, I think it would be way too messy to use it on the leaves indoors. I prefer using these methods indoors… How To Get Rid Of Bugs On Houseplants.
dan says
I use good ol mortar an pestle for the grinding bit more work but thats all in the fun cheers
Tom says
That’s ingenious; I use my mortar and pestle to grind up pills my dog won’t swallow and sprinkle it on wet food.
For egg shells I gave a dedicated thrift store blender that does a great job.
I also like to freeze vegetable scraps before putting them in the compost pile. As the that out they are well in the way to breaking down.
EVON Halladay says
How do you deter cats from your stuff? They are all over my yard and I can’t keep them out?
Amy Andrychowicz says
There are deterrent sprays that you can purchase. Also, a heavy layer of hardwood mulch will help to keep them from digging in the soil. Here’s a post about keeping cats out of potted plants that might help you too.
Melissa Watkins says
USED COFFEE GROUNDS.
THEY HATE THE SMELL OF COFFEE.
Abby says
So this is my first year gardimg and I would like to know if this is beneficial for the soil and if it helps the plands grow. And dose it kill ladybugs or butterflys.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, eggshells also add calcium to the soil, and are good for worms too. And yes to your second question too. Eggshell powder could also harm beneficial bugs, so definitely be careful with it, and treat it like you would any other pesticide.
Peg says
I also often air dry me egg shells but 45 seconds to a 1 minute in the microwave also does a wonderful job. Let them cool before crushing.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Great, thanks for adding your tip for drying the eggshells in the microwave.
Deb says
Do they have to be crushed finely. I have just been crushing them in my hands and placing them around my sugar snaps in small pieces.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, it’s best to crush the eggshells into a powder for best results.
Cheri says
I too dry mine in the microwave. Works like a charm, pop the dry egg shells in a bag until you have enough to grind. I do it every day and it takes one minute!
Jo Ann says
If egg shell powder kills slugs and snails, if it’s mixed in the soil for the purpose of adding calcium, would it also the helpful earthworms?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, crushed eggshells are beneficial to earthworms.
Florida gardener says
Will it kill biting ants? I have a terrible problem with them. They swarm your feet before you know they are there, then all bite at once. Ouch!!!
Amy Andrychowicz says
I have never tried the eggshell powder on ants before, but it’s worth a shot.
Kay says
Corn meal is great for getting rid of ants. They are attracted to the sweetness eat it and even take it back to their nest. They can’t digest it and basically explodes their digestive system.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I’ve heard the same thing about corn meal with slugs, but it’s a debatable topic. It’s certainly worth a try. But just know that it may not actually work.
Chickeni says
Borax and sugar water soaked cotton balls. Place one where the ants are they eat it take it back to the ant hole. Ants gone!
Becky says
I too have that problem! I hate ants!
Annie says
I have been using the eggshells dried in the oven and crushed around my plants and it has been very successful. I put them in a paper bag and crush with a rolling pin, this keeps bugs away but also feeds them too. They are particularly good for keeping slugs at bay.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Awesome, glad to hear that the crushed eggshells are helping keep the bugs at bay!
Laura says
DE – will kill plants if sprinkles on leaves , that’s important to note. I turned beautiful plants yellow and dried out the leaves not knowing this. I just sprinkle it on soil around plants . 🙂
Amy Andrychowicz says
Good to know. What types of plants were you sprinkling it on? I have sprinkled DE on several of my garden plants, and have never had problems with it turning them yellow.