Gardener shares brilliant hack using common kitchen scraps: 'Good to know this'

Instead of tossing your eggshells in the trash, one TikTok gardener has shown how they can become a free, nutrient-packed boost for your plants. The simple DIY trick not only helps reduce food waste but also cuts back on the need for pricey, store-bought fertilizers.

The scoop

In a video montage, creator SANA Motherhood (@sanamotherhood) showed how to transform everyday kitchen scraps into plant food. The hack involves roasting used eggshells to dry them out, grinding them down, and storing the mix in a spice container for easy application. The creator then demonstrates how they shake the contents over the soil of their plants to provide a nutritious boost.

"Don't throw away eggshells! It is filled with nutrients, minerals and is great for fertilizing plants," the caption reads.

@sanamotherhood Don't throw away eggshells! It is filled with nutrients, minerals and is great for fertilizing plants 🪴 🌱 #LifeHack #eggshell #useful #savemoney #tips #PlantTok #Planthack #plants #TikTokLearningCampaign #advice ♬ Anxiety - Doechii

Eggshells are packed with calcium and trace minerals that can help strengthen plants, deter pests, and generally improve soil quality over time.

How it's helping

By making your own eggshell fertilizer, home gardeners can save money and reduce food waste. Turning food scraps into DIY organic fertilizer means fewer trips to the store for store-bought fertilizer and a lower gardening budget. Beyond the financial perks, you also know exactly what's going into your soil. 

This is especially great when growing your own food, as you can avoid the chemicals and additives found in many commercial products. Gardening has been shown to offer numerous health benefits for individuals, ranging from increased fiber intake to enhanced mental well-being. Growing food also provides healthy, fresh, and organic produce without the need for pricey trips to the grocery store.

For the planet, hacks like this offer other benefits. Utilizing food waste, such as eggshells, helps keep valuable materials out of landfills while reducing the demand for mass-produced, globally shipped fertilizers — ultimately lowering the amount of planet-warming pollution generated.

What everyone's saying

The comment section was filled with excitement over the easy tip. One viewer wrote, "Good to know this." Another added, "I need to try." 

A third commenter summed it up with enthusiasm: "Now I will save the eggshells; useful for home [and] garden needs."

If you compost your food scraps, what's your primary motivation? Improving my garden's soil 🌱 Saving money on fertilizer 💰 Helping the planet 🌎 I don't compost 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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