The flea beetles have been worse than ever 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 pests in the garden.
Eggshells Kill Japanese Beetles
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 an organic 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, and it works as a deterrent.
Well guess what, eggshells work the same way.
Eggshells Help Control Flea Beetles
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! Do you want to do the same thing? Here’s how…
How to use eggshells as organic pest control
Allow the eggshells to dry out before crushing them. I toss them into a paper bag where they dry out in a few days.
Eggshells Drying Out
Grind the eggshells into a powder using a mini food chopper or a coffee grinder (here’s the one I have Coffee Grinder).
Grind Eggshells With Coffee Grinder
The coffee grinder does a great job of grinding the eggshells into a powder. When I used the food chopper, I found that the shell pieces were larger than the ones I crushed in the coffee grinder.
These would work too, but I like the finer powder, it sticks to the Japanese beetles better.
Ground Eggshell Powder
After the eggshells are crushed, you can take them out to the garden and use them right away. To use eggshells as organic pest control, sprinkle the eggshell powder directly on the beetles.
Sprinkle Eggshell Powder On Japanese Beetles
They really don’t like it, and will start to squirm and move around. It won’t kill them right away, but they’ll die in time.
Eggshells As Organic Pest Control On Japanese Beetles
For continued beetle control, sprinkle the eggshell powder liberally on the leaves of the plant where you see the most damage. This will help detour the pests, and kill others that crawl on it.
Be careful though, eggshells will kill any type of beetle – even beneficial ones. It’s best to sprinkle the eggshells directly on the specific pests you are trying to control.
Eggshells Help For Controlling Garden Pests Organically
For slug, snail and flea beetle control, sprinkle the eggshell powder around the base of the plant as well. Eggshell powder sprinkled on and around plants will need to be reapplied after a heavy rain.
Eggshells Help Control Slugs
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
Store unused eggshell powder in a dry location.
Store Eggshell Powder In Dry Location
You can’t beat free organic pest control. Plus, eggshells are great for the health of your garden, and they add calcium to the soil.
With so many benefits, it makes me wonder why anyone would toss eggshells into the garbage.
Don’t worry, if you don’t have access to eggshells, you can buy diatomaceous earth for pretty cheap too.
Recommended Reading:
- Organic Garden Pest Control
- Good Bug, Bad Bug
- The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Pest and Disease Control
More Awesome Info About Organic Pest Control:
- Organic Garden Pest Control Supplies
- Neem Oil as Organic Pest Control
- How to Get Rid of Squash Borers Organically
- How to Control Squash Bugs Organically
- Controlling Flea Beetles in the Garden
Products I Use:
For more information about organic pest control, click here… Organic Garden Pest Control
Do you use eggshells as organic pest control in the garden? Tell me about it in the comments below.
Awesome tip! Thanks so much. Now where did I put them eggshells? 🙂
You're welcome! 🙂
Amy
Could I use egg shells to control spiders?
I live by Lake Erie and I’m innendated with them. I don’t like using pesticides to control the problem.
I can’t walk outside, or get into my car without walking through a web!
I would not recommend using them for any type of broad application, because they can kill other beneficial bugs too. You could try sprinkling the eggshell powder directly on the spiders, but it sounds like that would be a lot of work given the amount of spiders you have.
Ok, thank you Amy!
I want to try it. Do you rince or wash the eggshells with water?
No, I don’t rinse them.
Amy
Amy,
Thank you for the info. Does it matter if the shells are from hard boiled eggs?
Nope, those will work just fine.
I dry mine in the toaster on the lowest temp for 10-15 minutes and let it sit in the toaster oven to cool. Grind and sprinkle from an empty, clean parmesan cheese sprinkle type container.
Yeah, we do this in our garden, but I never thought to throw it on the plant itself. We use it around the base of our plants (though this year we've been lacking in keeping up with this).
Cool! I know, it's hard to keep up on all the garden chores. Especially if it rains a lot, and you need to keep reapplying.
Amy
I think this is brilliant!! We eat eggs a lot too. Think this will be my new pest control. I used to put them into the compost bin, but have a lot of eggshells sticking out.
:-/
Awesome! I always used to put them into the compost bin too, but they really stick around a long time. Then I started crushing the ones I put into the compost bin. Now I just use them as pest control and add the powder to the soil of my raised beds directly rather than put them whole into the compost bin. I feel like they are more beneficial this way.
Amy
I'm definitely going to try this! I always just toss egg shells in the compost and they are so slow to break down. I did effective rid my apple tree of Japanese Beetles with a homemade pepper spray, but that stuff was potent!
Yes, they are very slow to break down when they're whole. Good for you for being diligent enough to rid your apple tree of those pesky beetles using pepper spray. Wow, you must have had to wear a mask for that job. I've touched my eyes after cutting up peppers, and it is very painful!
Amy
Can you share your DIY recipe for the pepper spray?
Yes! I am working on putting a post together for that so keep an eye out.
Amy
Seems to work about like diatomaceous earth…
Yes, exactly!
I've used crushed eggshells to deter bugs before. Works great!! Bonus: the birds eat some of the eggshell bits in nesting season, too.
Oh cool, I didn't know the birds would eat them too. I will have to make sure to put extras out this spring. 🙂
Amy
Birds eat them to strengthen thier shells 🙂 i raise chickens and we feed them the shells
My parents have a cockatiels and my mom always puts an egg shell in the cage for than to peck, they love thet!
Ha, ha, that’s cool! Extra calcium I guess.
From the local pet shop or even if you live near the ocean you could get shell grit and that is good
Great tips.
also adds calcium to the soil.
Yes, all kinds of benefits!
Amy
How long can you keep this stored? I am just starting to build raised garden beds for the spring. We can't plant anything right now with the snow and cold (we live in CO). If I keep these in an airtight container, can I start stocking up now?
Eggshells don't have an expiration date. I save mine though the winter and use them throughout the summer. Just make sure they are completely dry before putting them in a sealed container or they could get moldy.
Amy
Will this kill honey bees too? I don't want that! 🙂
No, it only harms bugs with a hard outer shell, like Japanese beetles.
Sweet. This will kill the ticks here in Northern, About, Canada. Hopefully I can get a lot fast…want to spread my yard with them….Would it be okay for people to walk on them or would that run the whole process and be a waste of time? Lots of people saying their kids are biten this year
Alberta. …i hate auto correct
I wouldn’t recommend spreading them around your whole yard. The eggshells can kill beneficial insect in your yard too. Also, the eggshells would be washed away or pushed down into the soil after a heavy rain, so they don’t have a very long lasting effect. Sorry to hear about your tick problems. Keep your grass mowed low to help prevent ticks in your yard.
Hello. This looks great. Thanks for the tip. One quick question. How about ladybugs? I don't want to harm them… Need them for my basil! So should I just avoid using on my basil?
Yes, this would be harmful to lady bugs, or any other types of beneficial beetle. Definitely don't use it on your basil if you know the lady bugs frequent it. I only use it on plants where I have pest problems. Otherwise, it goes into my compost bin and the soil of my garden beds.
Amy
Would the egg shells work on water roaches or types cockroaches?
Yes, it will work on any insect that has a hard outer shell.
Amy
so – squash bugs? 🙂
Yes, you could try it on squash bugs. Also, here’s a post I wrote specifically about those buggers… How to Control Squash Bugs Organically
I especially want to know if you have any idea if this would get rid of bedbugs?
Or how about along the baseboards for roach control?
And maybe you do or don’t know about this:
What about on the floors, baseboards or porch for flea or tick control?
Could it be directly applied directly to the fur of pets? Seems like the calcium would be good for dogs and cats, but I haven’t a clue how it would affect their digestive tract.
Thanks!
This should work on any type of bug that has a hard outer shell. Please make sure to talk to your veterinarian before you use it on your dog though.
Trusted websites promoting a natural raw diet for dogs recommend using ground egg shells mixed with the dogs food to obtain the correct amount of phosphorus. Dogs require a high ratio of phosphorus to calcium ratio.
When you dry out your eggshells, do you rinse them out first and then lay them out to dry?
I used to do that, but now I just toss them into a paper bag (not plastic). That way, I can just leave the bag in the pantry, and don’t have eggshells drying on the counter all the time. As long as they’re not stacked together, they will dry quickly. If they’re stacked or crushed while they’re wet, they could mold.
I have been using broken up eggshells in my garden for years now. I don’t have the beetles, just slugs and earwigs, so I don’t need to ground them up. The eggshells work wonderfully. I haven’t had a bug problem since I started using the shells.
That’s fantastic Sherry, thanks for sharing your experience!
I have a major problem with earwigs in my mulch. I’ve tried wet newspaper to no avail. Sherry and/or Amy, how should I use eggshells? Whole or crushed? Should I put them on top of the mulch or underneath? The earwigs are mostly living and multiplying in the mulch under my apple trees.SO many and SO gross!! Will the eggshells harm the trees? Are the earwigs harming anything or just giving me a bad case of the heeby-geebies? :/
Yuck, sounds nasty! Earwigs can be both beneficial and pest insects. They are beneficial in orchids, as they eat aphids and other small insects. You can sprinkle the eggshells right over the top of the mulch where you see the earwigs. Also, try to allow your mulch to dry out a bit if you can, and only water that area in the morning. Earwigs love it moist and they feed at night. So watering at night will only help them thrive. Here’s a really great post that I found about how to control earwigs… How To Control Earwigs
Can this be used in vegetable gardens as well? Or around fruit plants such as strawberries?
Yes, absolutely.
I had read that you can cook the egg shells at about 325 degrees for 3-5 minutes to kill off any bacteria. I use the shells as added calcium for my plants as well! Hadn’t thought of using a coffee grinder, thanks for the tip!
You are welcome!
Amy
My cats love egg shell water!
Wow, how funny!
I used them to enrich the soil of my raised bed gardens, but didn’t think of the pest control factor. I know what I’ll be adding to my organic pest control regimen this growing season. Awesome information and you cannot beat free organic pest control.
Woohoo! Free and organic, I love that!
Amy
Thank you amy for this article. I have read about using egg shells before planting tomatoes…so the egg shell collection has started. Thanks for the FYI about grinding them for pest control. I all loving all these FYI I find, as my birthday present this year are the raised beds that I have been asking for, for years!!!
You’re welcome! Congrats on finally getting your raised beds, that’s SO exciting!! 🙂
Amy
Just wondering if this will work on ants?
I have not tried it on ants. But I have read that diatomaceous earth will work on ants… so the eggshells should too. Doesn’t hurt to try.
Amy
I sprinkled grits right from the container around my ant problems (tree, etc), and it took care of the ants!
Awesome, good to know. Thanks for sharing the tip!
Put your ground egg shells in recycled spice jars and just sprinkle where you need it. Less mess on your hands and clothes.
Good idea Pam!
FYI…The green lid off of the top of Parmesean cheese fits on top of a mason jar. You can put your crushed shells in a mason jar fitted with one of those lids and it works great for a printing things. Then you can screw the outer lid back on for storage.
Darn auto correct…sprinkling things.
Awesome idea, thanks so much for sharing!!
I have been using crushed egg shells for a couple of years now but I have been removing the inner film first. I was told to do that. Do you do that or even think it is nessessary? I also just crushed them using a mortor. Do you find grinding them better?
I don’t remove the inner film (I don’t even rinse them out). I don’t think it’s necessary. I’ve never tried crushing them with a mortor, so I’m not sure how fine they get. I like the coffee grinder the best because it crushes them into a powder. Also, it seems like less work than manually crushing them.
Amy
I’ve used a mortar and pestle for grinding egg shells on the farm. Works well. As mentioned, more labor than a grinder. But it isn’t hard work and I find it is a relaxing moment, almost meditative. Worms in the garden benefit from the egg shells for reproduction, I find grinding them first speeds up the usability.
Very cool! Thanks!
Wow..great tips!!! Thanks. l’m using eggshells pieces to keep snails away but, l didn’t know abt beetle. l have beetle flies problems on my Passion fruits. Will it work on them?
Yes, if they are flea beetles it should work on them too.
Amy
Using some eggshells, about a tablespoon, before you plant tomatoes, eggplants or peppers will keep them from getting “bottom end rot”. Been doing this for years with hugh success.
Good to know Mary. I tried this last year, but still have some bottom end rot on a few peppers. I’ll have to try using more eggshells in the holes this year.
Amy
Not only do our gals bless us with their eggs, NOW the shells are going to help keep pests away in our garden! Super post, thanks for this valuable tip.
You’re welcome Correen. I’m jealous of your chickens. I’ve been thinking about getting some myself. We’ll see.
Amy
My, I need to save the shells from cooking eggs. Thanks for this post!
It’s awesome how this mundane object could be effective in keeping unwanted insects at bay. I can’t imagine paying for pest control services when they’re in my kitchen all along!
Yes, they are great!
Amy
I have been using eggshells for so much anyway, but I had no idea you can do this much stuff with them. I just read another post about how you can use the skin as a band aid, use the shells for planter (to keep as a decorative piece, or use a planter) cups you don’t have to remove before planting either – the whole thing gets planted. You can use them for decorative pieces, too. I my self mix them in to every potter I set up for healthy soil; it does so much for the soil and plant alike. You can even use them for Easter decorations and Christmas ornaments! Eggs are the by far the most repurpose-able item in our kitchens; yet so many get thrown out in to the garbage. I am glad more people are starting to use them for other things. They are little miracles! Enjoy your eggs everyone! <3
I know, there are so many uses for them. I used to throw them away too, now I shutter at the thought.
Amy
I didn’t know that you should grind them into a powder; I have been crushing them by hand for snails. I mostly pick off snails, but that is time consuming. Thanks for this post!
You don’t have to grid them into the powder, crushing them up the way you’ve been doing works for snails too. But the powder will get into their shells easier and stick to their soft bodies.
Amy
Can one use cooked egg shells as long as they are cleaned?
Yes.
Does it matter if the egg shells are white or brown?
Nope, you can use either one.
Amy
I use egg shell tea to water my plants.
Just plop them in water, let them sit a few days and water your plants inside or out. Works wonders.
Interesting, thanks for the info. So, does the calcium leach into the water? Is that how this is beneficial to the plants?
Amy
thanks for the tip. The Japanese beetles in north Georgia are getting more difficult to trap. Hopefully the egg shells will work this year.
Good luck with it!
Amy
I can’t wait and try this with the egg shells will start today have time live in nh
Awesome, hope it works for you!
Amy
Thanks for the tip! We are starting a garden this spring and I want it to be completely organic and pesticide free!
Awesome! You’re welcome!
Amy
I can’t wait to try this! I’ve heard about it possibly used in chicken coop dusting to keep mites and pests away, and as long as they’re ground up, how are the ladies to know, eh?? 😉 Regardless of results w/ chickens, I’m starting a bag right now for the garden!!!! Thanks!!
Cool, I’ve never heard of that before. Thanks for the tip!
Amy
I’ve been using egg shells in the garden for the past two years. I keep an empty #10 can in the warming oven of my wood cookstove and throw all my eggshells into the can as I use them. They dry quickly in the warming oven, then I grind them to a powder in the blender. I put a Tbsp of the powder at the base of tomato, eggplant, and pepper plants and water it in. It’s amazing! The plants grow big and tall and I’ve not had any problem with blossom-end rot since I started this. I haven’t tried the powder on pests, though, but I certainly will this year! Thanks for the information.
Awesome! I do the same thing with my tomatoes and peppers. You’re welcome, I hope it works well for you.
I have been using ground fine eggshells to feed back to my chickens for 3 years now. Not only does it strengthen the eggshells, but it stops the hens from eating the eggs. Also I have noticed that when a hen has chicks, they encourage the chicks to eat the powdered shells. I am so happy to learn that I can use them as an insecticide. And that it stops blossom end rot on tomatoes and peppers. I am planning to do as advised for them this year and also to do it for my melons. I have a hard time getting my melons to reach maturity due to blossom end rot. fingers crossed! m
Oh wow, that is very interesting! Eggshells are beneficial in so many ways! I hope the added calcium that the eggshells provices will help with your melons. Also, make sure to water the melons consistently. Inconsistent watering is another factor in blossom end rot. Good luck!
I have been told that this may work for scorpions in Arizona. Does it work or is it because it kills the beetles that the scorpions feed off of?Thanks for the info.
It works because it gets under their hard outer shell and cuts them up and kills them. Sounds really nasty, but it’s effective.
Sooooo happy to be putting together natural solutions for my garden. I hate using chemical pesticides and fertilizers. I don’t have the time to mix…compute instructions on how to convert to which container to dispense, and then deal with the potential hazards chemicals can cause. Appreciate all the help I can get. Thanks for your contribution.
You’re welcome!
Is this harmful to pets? I have two yorkies…I would like to use the powdered eggs around my host garden!!
Not that I know of. I’ve had people tell me they use it to kill fleas on their pets. But, I am not a Veterinarian so I would definitely recommend you check with your pets Veterinarian before using it if you’re concerned your dogs will get into it.
is this safe for butterflies, earthworms and bees?
It’s actually good for earthworms and the soil. It should not be harmful to the bees and butterflies, it only kills insects with a hard outer shell.
I have been having quite a time with aphids and ants destroying my scarlet runner bean blossoms and have been saving eggshells for composting. I had heard they could be ground up to repel insects, so today I ground them fine in a coffee grinder, and I powdered it on those nasty ants & aphids. The ants went into a tizzy! Thanks for the great information. I’m going to put it at the base of my tomato and zucchini plants, too.
Great! It’s not the ants that are destroying the flowers, it’s the aphids. Ants are known to bring aphids to plants so that they can feed off the sweet dew that’s created as a bi-product of the aphids feeding on plants. The eggshells won’t harm the aphids, unfortunately. But soapy water works great. How To Control Aphids
I wonder if it would deter tomato hornworms? those things give me the creeps, and they can do so much damage so fast.
meanwhile, I have a dozen shells to pull out of the top of my compost, to dry and crush…my tomatoes and peppers will be happy. (all my veggies, really)
I’ve never tried it on tomato hornworms, but it might. I say give it a try and see if it works. 🙂
I also use egg shells in my garden. When I get a bowl of egg shells I pop them into the microwave for a minute or two and then crush them. That way I dont have to wait for all of them to dry enough to be crushed.
Great tip, thanks!
Will the crushed shells work for squash bugs…they are disgusting and quick. Just planted my tomatoes, peppers and zucchini. I will crush the shells I have and use around these new plants to give them a boost.
Yes! Here’s a post I wrote about all the ways I fight squash bugs in my garden… How to Control Squash Bugs Organically
I have been adding crushed up egg shells to my raised bed vegetable garden for years. This year I got six chickens and have been crushing the shells with a mortar and pestle and putting the tiny pieces into the vegetables I now feed for added treats instead of putting them into my compost pile. After I crack an egg for people consumption I place the shells on my kitchen counter for three days and then put them into a quart sized canning jar. As the jar fills I smash the egg shells down with a knife or the handle of a hammer and I continue adding more shells until the jar is full of coarsley ground shells. When the quart jar gets full of crushed egg shells, I take my mortar and pestle and crush them finer, but not to a powder. I put these finer ground shells into a clean parmesan container with holes in the lid. I always have ground up shells available for the garden and for adding to the feed of the chickens. When I have used all the DE that I bought for mite and flea control for the chickens I will try the egg shells instead. But, will I have enough egg shells for all of the new and old uses? Thanks for all of your gardening tips.
Awesome, thanks for sharing all the ways you use eggshells in your garden! So many great uses!
l have very sandy soil ( about 90% sand and 10% dirt) will the egg shells kill ants in your garden, l can’t really find any thing that works to kill the ands.
I haven’t tried it on ants before, but you could give it a try. Ants aren’t a bad bug to have in your garden, but can become pests when there are a ton of them. Are they causing issues in your garden?
Great tip thank you! I tried using eggshells on my veggie garden last year but didn’t realize I had to grind them up so they weren’t that effective. Now I know and I’ll try it again this year. What do you use to keep squirrels away from your veggies?
Great! I have tried using a product called squirrel stopper with some success. It keeps them off the bird feeders, but you have to keep reapplying. Knock on wood, but I’ve only had problems with them digging in my dirt, so I haven’t had to worry about them in the garden yet. If they’re bugging a specific plant of yours, you could surround it with chicken wire. not pretty, but that’s what I do to keep the rabbits from destroying some of my plants.
I usually have trouble with Japanese beetles devouring my roses, and I also eat a lot of eggs, so I am definitely going to try this! I’ve got some eggshells waiting to go into my compost now; looks like I’ll be turning them into powder instead 😉 Thanks for sharing with Merry Monday this week!
Awesome! Thanks for stopping by!
Amy, after I saw this tip last year to use powdered egg shells to combat Japanese Beetles, I saved every single egg shell from ever single egg my family ate. I rinse them out briefly so they dry faster, place them on a paper towel, and slide the paper towel over the glass cook top burner (still warm but not hot enough to burn the paper towel) I just used to cook the eggs. They dry in a few minutes and then get tossed into a recycled ice cream plastic tub. a few minutes in the oven would work as well, but set a timer! Burned egg shells woud ruin the house! When the tub is full I put the shells into the food processor to grind them to a powder. I used to use a small electric coffee grinder, but it only ground up a few shells at a time. The food processor can handle much, much more. I store them in ziplock bags, ready to dust the garden.
I have several pounds of ground egg shells for my annual effort. So far this year I have used them on my tomato and potato plants (these were destroyed last year, but are strong and healthy this year). This evening I wet down my small apple trees and dusted them as well. The Japanese Beetles LOVE apple tree leaves! Wetting down the plants helps the shell dust to stick to the plant. Light rain does not seem to remove the egg shell dust, but heavy rain certainly does. The egg shells keep the slugs away from my potato plants as well.
Another resource for egg shells might be your local diner or breakfast place. My local eatery said they just throw them out, but if I pick them up at the end of the day, they will save them for me. They go through dozens of eggs a day. I could probably double my annual effort in just a week or two. I’m going to try this out this coming week. I’m going to drop off some sealed containers to make their job easier.
Mark
Awesome, thanks so much for sharing your experience and tips!!
This sounds like a great idea. The Japanese beetles destroy my grape vines and hydrangea blooms every year. The only concern I have is salmonella. Is the salmonella harmful in any way (i.e. the dust from grinding)?
Thanks so much,
Laurie
I don’t know the answer to that, sorry. I know there are some people who bake the eggshells before grinding them, so you could do that if you’re concerned. Or you could boil them to get them hot enough to kill any salmonella.
Do the eggshells need to be organic?
Lots of great info here. Thanks to all.
They don’t have to be organic in order to use them for garden pest control. But, if you want to make sure to keep everything in your garden organic, then I suppose you should also use the shells from certified organic eggs.
Thanks much Amy.
Amy, I am so glad that I came across your website! I love gardening and have been doing so for almost three years. (Yep, I’m still new at this). I find that I want to plant many different varieties of vegetables and so far so good. I am learning rather quickly what to plant, spacing, getting more than one harvest from some vegetables. I’m having fun and I truly enjoy growing my own!!! I am so glad that I ordered your ebook on controlling pesky bugs (grrr I hate them!) I have bookmarked your web page as a reference and I thank you for helping all of us that want to grow a healthy and abundant garden year after year with fresh produce. They taste so good! I’ve even dehydrated vegetables and herbs and took up canning as well to preserve and use at a later date. My family loves it!
When I read about using the eggshells I almost fell over in my chair! Why? Because I started using eggshells as a deterrent to control slugs, but I never thought that they could control other garden pests (Japanese Beetles….boy did they have a field day with some of my plants) I was so mad. The one thing I didn’t do is make the egg shells into a fine powder. Also, do I just let the egg shells just dry out? I’ve been letting them dry out on a low temp in my oven. Maybe I should stop doing that. I save ALL my egg shells and crush them up, put them in empty plastic coffee cans and wait until it’s time for my garden. I thank you so much! I will continue to read, learn, take notes from you, including “building” my own trellis…I am interested in vertical gardening for more space so my plants can breathe…..you’re awesome! THANK YOU AGAIN!!!!
Hi Karen! So glad to hear that I’ve been able to help you in so many ways, awesome!! As far as drying your eggshells… you can keep doing what you’re doing if that works well for you. I just leave mine sitting on the counter for a few days to dry them. But either way works fine. So excited to hear you’re getting into vertical gardening! Keep your eyes peeled, because I have a TON of information planned next year all about vertical gardening, starting in late winter/early spring. It’s going to be EPIC! 😉