A TikTok gardening enthusiast has shared the benefits of putting eggshells in your garden in January, including slug prevention and natural fertiliser
Katie-Ann Gupwell Content Editor and Matt Lloyd
05:30, 17 Jan 2026
You may want to put eggshells in your garden (stock image)(Image: Getty)
As January arrives, it brings with it a host of essential tasks, and one gardening job you might not have considered could prove invaluable.
UK households are being encouraged to save their eggshells and put them to good use in the garden before spring arrives, with experts highlighting numerous advantages to acting now.
While the winter weather typically keeps many of us indoors, a gardening expert has recently shared why venturing outside to complete one simple task could be well worth the effort.
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Ish, who shares advice under the username gardening.with.ish on TikTok, has explained how this straightforward job could significantly benefit your outdoor space.
In a recent video, he outlined what homeowners need to know. Rather than discarding eggshells, they can serve a far more useful purpose when distributed around your garden.
Ish said: “Today in the garden, we’re going to be looking at the benefits of eggshells in your winter garden.
“So, let’s crack on.
“One of the first reasons you could use eggshells in your garden is for prevention of slugs getting at your precious plants because, quite frankly, the crisp and sharp edges of shells are not appealing to slugs.
“They will not go over it. They don’t like it.”, reports the Express.
“So, you can apply this right onto the soil, and that should stop them from crawling over and hopefully having a bit of a bite on your plants.”
He added: “Another fantastic way of using eggshells in your garden is to make a slow-releasing fertiliser and, believe it or not, these are absolutely fantastic for things like root growth and transfer of nutrients to the plant.
“They are so high in things like calcium.
“You can either put them in a grip seal bag and really crunch them down.
“Get them into almost like a fine shell, almost a powder, or you can stick them straight in a blender.
“You can mix that in with multi-purpose compost or put them at the base of your plant to offer a boost of nutrients, and there’s also no harm as well in sticking this directly on top and watering it down.
“Because they are quite hard, they break down fairly slowly, which means you get a nice slow-releasing fertiliser and nothing too aggressive.”
Ish explained that eggshells have another valuable use when it comes to your compost heap.
He noted they’re excellent to include once crushed, as the natural calcium they contain can prove highly beneficial.
For those seeking a slightly faster composting process, he recommended adding them to the mix.
According to Ish, their versatility really is remarkable.
Why should we put eggshells in the garden?
You may not realise it, but there are several compelling reasons to add eggshells to your garden.
Most importantly, they enrich the soil with calcium, which strengthens plants and serves as a slow-release fertiliser.
Additionally, they can act as a natural deterrent against pests, helping to ward off creatures such as slugs and snails. Whole eggs can also be buried to provide slow nutrient release, though it’s worth noting this may attract unwanted pests and produce unpleasant odours unless buried at sufficient depth.
Calcium also aids in preventing problems such as blossom end rot, a common issue in tomatoes, peppers and squash.
Moreover, crushed shells can help balance soil pH and introduce minerals like phosphorus and magnesium.
They’re also handy for kick-starting seeds. Eggshells can serve as biodegradable pots for seedlings, which can then be planted straight into the ground.
There are numerous reasons why they are so advantageous.
They could provide a significant boost to your garden in various ways ahead of spring.
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