Gardeners have been urged not to throw out egg shells after cooking, as they can be a surprisingly effective tool in your outside space. May is a great time to start planting various seeds, as “all risk of frost” will have passed by now in “most regions of the UK”, Gardeners World explains.
“Many vegetable, herb and flower seeds can be directly sown outdoors, while earlier sowings can now be planted out after a period of acclimatisation (hardening off) to outside conditions,” it adds.
Lifestyle blogger Jill Nystul, who shares garden, DIY and recipes, on her website OneGoodThingbyJillee.com flagged more than a dozen hacks to help give your seedlings the best chance to flourish at this time of year – and save money while you’re at it.
One of them is a common trick using egg shells, which can have two benefits for your plot.
She recommends saving them after use, explaining that they “make a great fertilizer because they’re rich in calcium and other minerals that your plants need”.
Jill calls on green-fingered homeowners to sprinkle crushed eggshells “into the holes before planting, or sprinkle them around the base of established plants every few weeks” for best results.
Meanwhile, according to experts at Really Wild Bird Food, chopped, cooked eggs provide essential nutrients for birds – and crushed egg shells can also be a source of nutrients.
They said: “Kitchen scraps make an excellent addition to your usual choice of bird food. By putting out the right scraps, you are helping to reduce landfill waste, as well as providing the birds with additional essential fats and carbohydrates, which are especially important in the Winter and during nesting season.
“Chopped, cooked eggs contain many essential nutrients for birds, and even the crushed egg shells will provide calcium for nesting birds, plus the grit helps their digestion.”
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