How to unlock the potential of eggshells in your garden!

[@augeniasestokaite4674]

This info is a huge blessing for me-like a UTube message from God!! I’m 81 and will start taking a teaspoon per day in coffee/tea 2 see if I feel better. Have been grinding eggshells for my garden slugs/etc..I wash my eggs in baking soda water first- then use them…million 27:29 thanks for the char vid! The egg membrane will go there..I’m living long enough to learn more, every day!! When you get to the other side, there is no body, only your spirit. Here on earth is the place to learn everything.., that is what goes with you! You take NOTHING with you-only your spirit-just enjoy gardening and touching God..!!! Thank you 4all your info🤗❤️

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

But the Lord said you SHOULD store up for yourself treasure in Heaven! When people malign and insult you and reject your name as evil for his sake you have a great reward in Heaven!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

My 2 favorite uses for eggshells: First, running it through a chicken. Use their stomach biology to break it down. Feed it to them crushed in their feed or grit. This replaces their calcium, and then also chelates the calcium in their manure. Second, using an acid to break it up. So after you grind it like you do, use an acid and let it sit in there for a day. Lemon juice or vinegar are good options. This will break apart the calcium carbonate into calcium and carbonate parts, and if you then put this in compost, it will bind to fulvic and humic acid chains and become bioavailable (chelated).

[@thebiosoilcompany]

Love seeing your comment on here. Demonstrates your ongoing thirst for knowledge…doing the same constantly learning from all the sources available

[@davehendricks4824]

👍

[@georgewashington3555]

thanks !!!

[@georgewashington3555]

Electric coffee grinder is what i use for Egg shells and it makes a very fine powder.

[@malathiray3205]

😅

[@mightyporky]

A pleasure to listen to someone who actually knows something.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I appreciate that a lot!

[@fullcircle4723]

I have only used the eggshells when I have boiled eggs. They say it softens the shell. But only recently seen the shells being powdered. Makes a lot of sense as the larger shells were still in the worm bin. Thanks for the free education mate.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

You're welcome

[@DavidWilliams-qk8vm]

It should be noted that when grinding the eggshells to powder, be very careful to do it outside or allow the dust to settle. If you breath any of that fine dust it is still sharp enough to be a severe irritant to your lungs!

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Thanks for reminding us. I don't usually open the blender until all of the dust settles down. But I needed to open it for the video. Thanks again!

[@victorbunch7725]

The same as breathing DE

[@phonymontana4254]

​@@victorbunch7725de? What's that?

[@s-c..]

@@phonymontana4254 Diatomaceous Earth. I recommend googling it (& it saves us both from my butchered explanation!)

[@franceswatts4001]

@@phonymontana4254Diatomaceous earth

[@mimiashford5544]

This a straight Master Class on the benefits of eggshells. WONDERFUL information!! Thank you!

[@blissfulacresoffgridhomest2098]

We bought our chickens three years ago. Lots of wonderful eggs and shells! Last year we bought turkeys and they began laying. Man! Those shells were tough to break! We save those too. When I make dog food I blend the whole egg and add to scramble into their food. Our chicken and turkeys get their shells and eggs disguised. Even our pigs love raw eggs. Free calcium for all of us! Thanks for the smoothie suggestion. Also for tooth powder and cleaning my pans. Going to try on my burnt stainless steel pot. Can hardly wait to watch your other videos. Full watch, liked, and subscribed! Thanks!

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

You might need something a little more heavy-duty than eggshells for a burnt pan!

[@blissfulacresoffgridhomest2098]

@@LiveOnWhatYouGrow 😆 yup it is pretty bad 😄!

[@Equinella]

​@@LiveOnWhatYouGrowWhat is your experience with the shells damaging the Vitamix blender goblet? I stopped using mine for egg shells and oats as the interior became cloudy from the scratching. 😢 I'm interested if Vitamix makes a glass goblet.. 🤔 as the coffee grinder is so small the process takes forever, is loud, and the powder dust easily escapes the small space..

[@robinham2796]

Oh my goodness! My new favorite gardening channel! I adore the science!!!

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Thanks for the encouragement, I never made videos before. It's still kind of terrifying when my wife turns the camera on! LOL

[@shiffongray1041]

Agreed

[@shiffongray1041]

You do a fantastic job never thought I would love the silence, but I see the importance of it and you make it very digestible for a snow in science people🤣🤣🤣and thank your wife from us doing the camera action she is great can you sometime have her on and introduce her to your community she is appreciated

[@kimskluckers5665]

I wash my shells then cook trays of egg shells in the oven to feed back to my chickens. However for 40 years I have been throwing them out into my garden or crushing them slightly to spread around my tomato plants. I'm learning all the things I've be doing wrong all my life. Thanks! 😆

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I've been doing things "wrong" for 50 years. My mother gave me a section of her garden when I was twelve. But my gardening got better every single one of those 50 years to teach me the skills I have today. I learned a lot from my mistake, so now a lot of other people can learn from my mistakes! That's why I started this channel! You can learn quickly when you have a community of people learning together, and I'm learning a lot from all of you, especially in the last week. So I hope everyone participating will subscribe and click the ALL button so they can get the notifications whenever a new video comes out!

[@kimskluckers5665]

I felt good sharing a few of your videos already. I binge watched all of them and stayed up all night 😊. I immediately started out making charcoal and in three days have 5 gallon. I had already spread some around in my chicken coop with the ash. By spring I will have it charged 🤣

[@robertshorthill6836]

​@@LiveOnWhatYouGrow I grind up egg shells as best I can without making it a big deal and put the grindings in a bucket with vinegar, let it sit for a week or so, pour off the juice and put the shell mess in with the compost. Seems to break down faster and easier becoming useful for tomatoes.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

@@robertshorthill6836 That's great to do if your end goal is water-soluble calcium (WCA). And I will be doing a video on how to do that soon. I would suggest doing both WCA AND powdered shells. I mix the WCA at about 1:1000 with water and use it as a foliar spray at blossoming time. The powdered shells are for the worms and microarthropods.

[@ginaeaton6680]

Your channel just showed up in my suggestions. Great video! I've been drying shells in the oven or on my wood heater for years, to feed back to my chickens. I've a ton of powder saved up for my garden. I also still have years old shells in my garden. :)

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I love this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJCkin-nlq2BrrM that shows that indeed eggshells take a LOOONG time to break down in the garden!

[@shiffongray1041]

Hey my friend your egg thing really works 💪🏼 Here is what i did -had cage free eggs brown & regular white shelled eggs got at market - i had them frozen after i used them - let them thaw out - ran warm water on each individual egg to clean them out with my finger - Also I noticed that you were talking about that protein barrier. That was really interesting which I will share. - After rinsing and taking up the proteins are you put them on the tray and let them air dry for a couple seconds? - Mom I made sure they each had a space and I put them in the oven have an electrical oven very hot so I put it on 250 for about 10 minutes and I took them out and I’m waiting for them to cool off to create the powder mixture This was a very cool experiment. Thanks to you know I must hear a peep things I noticed to pay three old is the Brownell that proteins barrier came out so easy and the shelves are very strong but with the white regular eggs, the protein bear hard to come out what was literally stuck to the shell and I noticed that the shells on the white eggs week and so that tells all the importance of find the farms olds or cage, free eggs I’m sure this would be different if I wait till farmer eggs, fresh that goal but this is a fantastic experiment and thank you for sharing off, so I will be doing this on a regular First of all, I want to thank you for being so descriptive because I’m a blind person with some usable vision you were very descriptive, and I appreciate that and I’m pretty sure I felt some protein barriers that people would probably not be able to see with her eyes because these eggs were literally squeaking after I cleaned them out some eggs fell apart, but I still made sure they were clean and so because of you, I’ve learned something and I will continue viewing your videos and at some point I will try that homemade biochar with #10 cans and thanks for describing those clippers. I’m definitely going to get a pair of those to get perform. You’ve inspired me to do some container gardening until I am able to get a place where there’s more room and or with a yard. I’m in a very small apartment right now, so thank you and I’ll see you on the lips video. You create

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Thank you soooo much!

[@nancyloveleafygreens4052]

Right on shiffongray1041, thanks for sharing about your egg-shell exploration and gardening inspirations, and making it clear that the OP's descriptive post helped clarify the video information. Gardening has been so therapeutic for me, I have container garden at home and a garden plot at a nearby community garden, plus the garden neighbors & buddies to learn and share with. I highly recommend seeking out a community garden, most need volunteers for a wide variety of tasks, and give opportunities for hands in the soil ie. Nature therapy. Best wishes on your journey!💚🖖🌱🌈

[@tracytaylor1489]

Oh my God! I have watched so many videos on this kind of stuff and I’m super jazzed about these alternative methods of using eggshells. Thank you so much for your contacts!

[@alejandrodedios9465]

All you say is true,i hope everybody will learn from all your words of wisdom,may God bless you,always.

[@shiffongray1041]

Agreed

[@cindyscharr457]

Wow! So complex. Yes I throw my egg shells outdoors, but no I didn't know how complicated the decomposition process was so complex. I have enjoyed watching crows pick them up and fly away.

[@nataliegist2014]

Me too I’ll go pick them up and grind the up. Lol

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Good for the crows for survival. But if you were in a life-or-death situation, you wouldn't want to see your nutrients fly away like that!

[@Sassygal6874]

Great content!!! Everything is connected. Often we lose sight of that. Thank you for the science as well as practical application. I will never throw out my eggshells again. Excellent video! Much appreciated.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Thanks, I appreciate that very much. Make sure you watch the 4 year study video in the description section by the other KZbinr. We all have to work together to make a difference and that video is a huge part! Here's a link to his great video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJCkin-nlq2BrrM

[@maxkendall1298]

Absolutely the most fabulous info and explanations I have seen. Thank you so much. I have subscribed and shared. This is the 2nd one of your videos I have watched this morning, so am looking forward to seeing your others 😀

[@lindacolglazier6670]

I am astounded by what I Just Learned! I'm 74 BUT I will share it with younger family members, too! THANK YOU also for giving God His Glory here!

[@kellystewart2977]

That was a lot of plants! Nice to see some new ones. 😀

[@terrywepner4002]

Yesss!!! there’s a whole world of chemistry/science in the natural arena Thanks for sharing … wonderful video

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Yes! Thank you!

[@rico99586]

Great video! I've been doing this for quite some time. I use it for myself, and I raise worms so they get it daily too. Like you said it MUST be powdered for them to use, since they have no teeth or mouth like other creatures. I also raise crickets, and they are fed the eggshell powder too. I subscribed and look forward to more educational videos like this was. Thanks!

[@alylebold6526]

Good video Thank You

[@marjoriejohnson6535]

I put egg shells first in oven after I remove what l am baking abd leave temp on for less than 10 minutes. Then put them in coffee grinder and turn to powder. Then they go to worm bed for grit and for going thru worm gut..it helps egg shell by putting it into an acidifying and enzyme environment. Been doing this for about 40 years. My gardening is now in tubs on deck and the amount of veggies I get is really good....

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Very good!

[@compticny3138]

Would love to see your diy solar heater. You mentioned in your biochar video that you used biochar for a water filter, but I couldn't find it using a search option for your videos. Is that still pending or am I missing it? Enjoy the science that you add to your videos, always like to have some info on why I am doing things.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I'm sorry to say I haven't made that one yet!

[@bmmaaate]

It's certainly true that eggshells don't break down in compost. I've been grinding them down and storing the powder in jars. I think i will give it an extra bake before I use any for toothpaste or nutrients. I read that it was good for plants and prevented blight in tomatoes and after two ruined outdoor crops I added some to the soil. I had huge plump tomatoes growing in places I hadn't even planted any!

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Thanks for sharing

[@charlottedavid5153]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I have learned a lot today and look forward to more of your videos. Have a great day Sir and again thank you!

[@janetshook8968]

Thank you! I had boiled my shells in the past. Your method is easier.

[@ShoalsChickens]

I love your new channel. Please keep it going.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

We will!

[@jeanniebaker3347]

Fanatic information. So glad I found your channel 🙏

[@MysterChaser]

I use an electric coffee grinder I bought at a yard sale for $1. Makes a beautiful powder quickly.

[@skyfarmorganics]

I do this also except I remove the membranes with washing. The powder is fed to my worm bins.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Thanks

[@shiffongray1041]

Agreed. I did the same thing and I did this for the first time have a slight we water running over them and removing them in the membrane.

[@geraldinemryan]

Thank you exceĺlent I enjoyed learning how to use egg shells PROPERLY for worms and more uses! interesting !!! Well done!

[@dieodd9866]

Your channel is gold! thank you for this precious knwloedge sir!

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@regularguy8592]

I keep a glass pan in oven I throw old shells in ,any time oven is used they are in it. When it gets full i crush them by hand, some I grind into powder and some I don't but they will break down fairly quickly either way

[@joanacker917]

This was amazingly informative. Thank you

[@robingalloway3541]

I dry my egg shells in a single layer in the sun for 2 3 days. Is that enough to kill bacteria?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I don't think so. I wouldn't want to eat them after using that method!

[@maryelizabethcalais9180]

Very thorough videos. Tks

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Glad you like them!

[@VOTE4TAJ]

A very informative and detailed video. Thank you.

[@jo-anndawson9380]

How do you get the protozoa and nematodes in indoor potting mix?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I'm so glad you asked, I've been pondering about this subject for a long while. Most people focus on the bacteria and fungi life forms in the soil while neglecting protozoa and nematodes. But the truth is, bacteria and fungi are decomposers that can't alone turn compostable matter into plant-available nutrients. The bacteria and fungi actually must be consumed by protozoa and nematodes to complete the process before the nutrients become plant-available. (BTW, as I'm sure you already know, we're specifically talking about the fungi and bacteria-eating nematodes NOT the root-eating forms we DON'T want in our soils!) What I've been doing to make sure all the trophic levels of microorganisms are represented in my potting soil is to mix in a cup or so of my garden soil for each five-gallon bucket of my potting mixes. And I always add water to keep the buckets moist while in storage over the winter for spring use. There are millions of EVERY form of microbiology my plants need, and they will spread throughout the whole bucket as long as we keep the environment suitable for them. Like I said, I've been thinking about this for a while, and I'm working on some videos where I will be talking more about it! Thanks for your comment!

[@shirleytruett7319]

You can dry the membrane and use it as a bandaid

[@shaulgrantz9077]

Here's how I make eggshell powder. Whenever something comes out of the oven, like a cake or whatever and after the oven has been turned off, put in the eggshells. The residual heat will be more than enough to completely bake them until the oven has cooled down. Afterwards, powder them in a coffee grinder or swing grinder. I keep a large aluminum foil roasting pan under the sink for this purpose. No need to prewash the eggshells or remove the membrane. This method is free and requires no electricity.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Thanks for the tips. I appreciate it a lot!

[@TigerLilyGzzTLRoars]

Great info. Love your channel!!

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

So glad!

[@CurlyWirls]

How do you replicate this in a container or pot?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean by that.

[@jerryspinosa5466]

Thanks for the learning lesson.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Now put it to use!

[@happyhobbit8450]

I have 2 sun ovens and just love them -- cook everything in the summer in them

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

That's great, I was thinking about doing that!

[@johnfolk1448]

Good stuff. I've got over 10 gallons of crushed shells I've been planning to use in my garden.

[@markspc1]

Great video. I usually bake the egg shells after I am done baking food: When I am done baking food and after turning the oven off, I put the egg shells in a backing sheet and wait until the oven cools down. The shells turn brown and become brittle. I then crush and put in the vegetable garden to keep snails and slugs away. I wonder if the backing, initially at 450 F, changes the chemical compound of the egg shell ?

[@belieftransformation]

Great information; thanks for the details. I wanted to take a natural supplement for calcium & magnesium & now know how to make it. Blessings 🤗🇨🇦

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Let us know how it works out.

[@lauram.511]

Thank you, thank you for this video! We are making some forms for a raised garden. I have been saving eff shells for the soil & did not know they need to be ground into powder for the worms/soil. You are correct, that other gardening videos they do not do this. I would have been putting the shells in the soil if not for your very informative video. I can't thank you enough & have subscribed to your videos.

[@lauram.511]

Sorry, for the typo! I have been saving "egg" shells....

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

@@lauram.511 LOL! WOW I don't know what to say! So what DO you do with your eff shells then? Maybe try mixing them with your egg shells! That's what I do, LOL!

[@lauram.511]

@@LiveOnWhatYouGrow 🤣

[@nataliegist2014]

So informative

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Glad you think so! Let us know how the ideas work out for you!

[@louisecamm9058]

Thanks - keepem comming 🌺

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Will do!

[@brankosturm3487]

Very educational and what u said makes sense ty very much

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Thanks for commenting!

[@donnamcfarland162]

Such Wisdom!! Thank you so very much!!

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Glad it was helpful!

[@SandraBonney]

I went to a how to make kefir workshop a few years ago and we ground up eggshells to put into that

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

When you think of an eggshell as FOOD, you have no problem eating them!

[@Z-Z-W_origin]

Have you ever compared the results of chelating the eggshells to non-chelated? I let about a dozen shells sit in an unused windowsill (old, single pane, non-UV blocking window) overwinter. The UV rays from direct sunlight convert the calcium to a more bioavailable form (which is also more brittle). My understanding is that exposure to UV also allows the shells to break down in soil much faster. About half of chelated shells are powdered and added to seed starting soil mix (along with biochar and seasoned compost). 1/4 are crushed, but not powdered, and used to keep slugs away. 1/4th are powdered and applied to tomato plants that have a high risk of blossom-end rot during the flowering stage. In fall, I add the eggshells that have been chelating all summer to the compost heap for spring.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I've never done it personally, but it sure sounds like you have a great plan! I hope people are reading the comments and will give it a try. I'm certainly going to!

[@a_l_e_k_sandra]

Great comment! Thank you for sharing!

[@rabeHH]

Thank you so much for sharing your very interesting knowledge. I have learned a lot of new things from you. You forgot to tell how much of the egg shell powder you are consuming in your orange juice. Is it 1 tablespoon or teaspoon? Can it also be added into apple cider vinegar water?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I put in one teaspoon at a time usually 2 times a day It's a little gritty but I don't mind it at all because it's really helping me a lot! I was having painful leg cramps every night and now I don't have them at all. If you add it to any acidic liquid it will turn into a more absorbable form. In apple cider vinegar it turns from calcium carbonate to calcium acetate from the acetic acid, a much more bioavailable form, in my opinion!

[@rabeHH]

@@LiveOnWhatYouGrow Thank you for the answer. I have tried to grind the shells to a fine powder, but that doesnt seem to happen, it is still a little course.. So I will use it this way,. Lets see the results.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

@@rabeHH When I drink it, I swish it around and try to swallow it all at once, but I always have a little crunch. I've gotten used to it and it doesn't bother me at all! That little inconvenience is a whole lot better than the painful leg cramps I used to get every night!

[@CB-hl5mw]

@@LiveOnWhatYouGrow I have good news. I milled the shells with my stone grain mill and got a very fine powder, which one almost dont recognise on the tongue. With the mixer I didnt get a good result. so if you have a stone grain mill at home, you can try it this way. Very easy to intake now.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

@@CB-hl5mw Thanks for letting us know that!

[@elijahsanders1891]

Fantastic video! So much useful information, and showcasing some of God's amazing design in nature. Thank you very much. I'm starting a container just for consumable eggshell powder (stuff for the garden I don't bother cleaning :) God bless!

[@nchestercountynews4955]

I feed my egg shells to my chickens and use the stuff that comes out of the south end of the chicken to fertilize.

[@daveheller4488]

I make eggshell char and add it to my compost. Also done to make a tincture using Korean Natural Farming (KNF) by soaking it in Apple Cider Vinegar for a couple of weeks.

[@SarahK-d6o]

I grind up egg shells fine and use as grit in my worm bin.😊

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Great idea~!

[@geraldinemryan]

❤😊 very interesting will employ from now on only today i noticed the said particules in old compost bin! Many thanks need much more excellent info from u in the future Knowledge is no good without UNDERSTANDING Best wishes Geraldine Ireland

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

You are sooooo right!

[@CarlosPerez-pe6tq]

Thank you very very much! I was wondering about this I pray for this TMH!!!HalleluYah!!! Thank you teacher!!!from Valery🗣📯💙💪🌻

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Wonderful!

[@shiffongray1041]

Wow incredible i am going to do this today. I just cane across your video and find it fascinating Just curious, you mentioned that you were an owner and creator of a supplement company I’m very curious as to what companies Valdes I’ve been involved with a lot of supplement companies and I’m curious which one I may have come across here without even knowing it thank you for sharing and please continue sharing I really enjoy this channel with giving us so much wonderful arm, technical information that we need to know every gardener watch and i I watch many of them on you tube never share the deep, technical chemical components as you do and why this chemical components need to work in harmony with the body and with the earth naturally I really enjoy your channel. Thank you so much and I have subscribed.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Hi Shiffon, thanks for your kind words. My life has really been a journey! I started gardening 50 years ago when I was 12 and was always fascinated by all of God's natural processes. There is always a balance between that which is perceived good and perceived bad. For example, bugs and diseases aren't the enemies of your garden, they are merely the symptoms that show up signifying a deficiency of something in your soil! Those deficiencies usually aren't of nutrients, but deficiencies of the soil life, namely, good bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and beneficial nematodes. And all that can be seen only under a microscope! Providing the ideal environment for those microorganisms should be the foremost task of those who want healthy gardens. You know how they say, "Feed the soil, not the plants"? Most people don't even know what that means! Far fewer even know how to do it! It is exactly the same with our bodies. Scientists tell us that more than half of your body is not human. Human cells make up only 43% of the body's total cell count. The rest are microscopic colonists like bacteria. My view is, if you keep those beneficial bacteria and other colonists nourished, you will be healthy, otherwise not! The name of our company was LifesMiracle and I think we were a company ahead of our time. We were getting tremendous results with people, including those with very serious health problems. I really can't say any more than that! But we had to go out of business because of all the issues with the economy and supply chain. I was looking for a company that sold products that were similar to ours, but there really is nothing out there. There is one that I'm looking at, and I'll let you know what I find out, but I'm not going to start a new supplement company So I'm focusing on what may be a more important work, teaching people how to live on what they grow, and how the LIFE in the soil is the most important factor, NOT the nutrients in the soil!

[@elijahsanders3547]

I have a few questions: Since watching this, I've been collecting raw egg shells (brown), rinsing them, leaving the membrane on, boiling them, drying them, pounding and blending them to powder, which turns out a light tannish brown color. 1. Is boiling ok (rather than baking or microwaving)? 2. The eggshells had no smell, but the powder has a smell that reminds me of sawing into an antler, or perhaps of burnt hair (not all that pleasant). Is this what it's supposed to smell like? Does it indicate something went wrong? 3. I'm assuming the light brown color is because I'm using brown eggs, yes? Would that potentially contribute to the smell? Note: these eggshells are fairly tough/thick. Thank you :)

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

It doesn't matter how you heat your eggshells, (or eggs) as long as you reach160°F (72°C) to destroy any harmful bacteria. I personally like the microwave at the present time because it's faster and easier and I don't have to dry them for storage. If you have moisture in your container it could breed harmful bacteria if it gets in there. I don't think the smell has anything to do with the eggs being brown, but I could be wrong. Most likely it's because of the membrane. I like to remove the membrane because in my opinion, unless you're going to consume the shells at once, I don't want to have something in the container that has the potential for spoilage. The membrane is mainly protein, like meat, if you were to leave a piece of meat exposed to air it would spoil, it's the same with the membrane in my opinion!

[@elijahsanders3547]

@@LiveOnWhatYouGrow Thank you very much, that is very helpful :) God bless!

[@nikaward6048]

My friend just told me about you. New subscriber

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Welcome! If you have any questions, let me know. My wife and I really are living this life, not just doing it for the video.

[@timmcilraith8762]

Thank you for your excellent video and comment answers. Does finely ground eggshell powder disappear from the soil surface of my worm bin because of soil acidity, microbiological consumption, or worm consumption ? And why does equally finely ground seashell powder take longer to disappear ? Thank you.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Those are really good questions! And the answer is, I don't know!

[@bettyreynolds5106]

God bless you! Thank you for all the great information!

[@happyhobbit8450]

I've been cooking the egg shells and feeding them to the chickens but I wasn't crushing them and I should have been because like you say they can't digest when they're too big Excellent information -- Thank you!!!

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Well, they will certainly absorb more actual calcium if they're crushed or powdered! Because they can't chew them... the larger pieces would be just like swallowing razor blades because of their shape and sharpness!

[@Cielo1995]

i grind them in my pestle and mortar and then i grind them again in my little coffee grinder. I don't even know why i started doing it or how i even knew to do it but i mix it with my soil and my tomato plants do very well even at high altitude (7800) and i mix it in with my indoor citrus trees.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Good stuff!

[@phillipbertrand8514]

Is it necessary to remove the membranes?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Research shows that it really isn't necessary to remove the membranes. I only started doing it when powdering the shells with a mortar and pestle because it comes out better this way. In the Vitamix it comes out good either way. Here's a website that talks about it: www.healthline.com/nutrition/eggshells-benefits-and-risks

[@susanlizottealbert3825]

If you garden inside in buckets. How do you get the helpers to help the plants.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I'm not sure what you're talking about. Could you please clarify?

[@StFrancis9]

You can use a spice grinder too right?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Yes a morter and pestle works good too as well as a coffee grinder.

[@JoseRodrigues-ln7jj]

Thaks for the info. Excellent video!!!

[@donnacanavan728]

What if the electric is out, how to you heat it

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I've boiled them and I've also crushed them up into fairly small pieces and heated them in a cast iron frying pan.

[@robbobcat7286]

What are your thoughts on using Seaweed you can get at the beach?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I think it's a great idea, although the salt COULD be an issue. I watched a David the Good video where he tested washed vs. unwashed seaweed and the unwashed stunted the growth. Others may come to a different conclusion, which is why, if I had access to it, I would definitely do a trial before using it all across my garden.

[@elijahsanders3547]

So you only need to put it in something acidic if you're ingesting it?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

You don't have to but I prefer to, to make it more digestible.

[@deannastevens1217]

AMAZING INFORMATION . thank you

[@createlovehappy]

Excellent. I just used my vitamix to pulverize my egg shells. I saw another video where people baked them at 350 for an hour or 2. Is this too much heat? What does it do? Should I not bake them?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

The CDC recommends a temperature ranging between 145 and 165 degrees F to kill bacteria, including Salmonella. They say that even one second at that temp will kill the bacteria.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

BTW, use an old Vitamix container if you have one, or the plastic will be damaged by the shells whirling around in there at 100 mph!

[@jimbrechin3367]

Does including the eggshells in the container for making biochar help with their decomposition and making them suitable for absorption by te organisms in the soil?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

One thing we know is that powdered eggshells will definitely decompose faster and will also provide grit for the earthworms.

[@jimbrechin3367]

Thanks. I Saw where one person was adding broken eggshells to his biochar when he was making it and wondered what you thought about that.@@LiveOnWhatYouGrow

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

It's okay to do that, but in my opinion it would be better if he ground them up in an old blender or food processer. A big part of the soil food web is the contributions of the earthworms and compost worms, arthropods, and microarthropods. If the shells aren't ground up these creatures can't ingest them. They don't have teeth to make the eggshells smaller, so I don't think crushed eggshells will benefit much at all, both in the worm bin or garden! Maybe it will have a long term benefit, in a hundred years or so, but I don't want to wait that long!

[@juto3510]

what about boiling the shells?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

You could do that. But use the water after it's cooled to water your garden as some of the minerals will be leached into the water!

[@LeslyHarris-ux3ty]

Is there another way to disinfect the egg shell instead of microwave? What about boiling it for 10 minutes?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

That should do it too!

[@JM-ym8mm]

I will say that although it does not appear that the eggshells are breaking down in the soil, they will definitely be releasing calcium in the soil. This is just like demineralization on our teeth, the acidity from food dissolves the calcium from within our tooth and bacteria use that to create a hard biofilm. This is the tartar that the dentist removes with the ultrasonic cleaner. Although visibly, your tooth doesn't have pieces missing from it, some of the calcium would have been leached out of the tooth structure. It is the same with eggshells. When you put eggshell flakes in vinegar to dissolve them, you'll notice that the eggshell flakes will look almost completely the same as they did prior to being put in vinegar but you will still see the visible reaction of carbon dioxide being released from the solution as the acidity in the vinegar is neutralized by the calcium being dissolved in solution. Of course, it is still a reality that eggshells break down too slowly for our plants' needs when used untreated as an amendment so it's always a good idea to either compost the eggshells or dissolve them in a vinegar solution as this makes them much more bioavailable in the quantities that growing plants need.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I agree!

[@LinkProFacil]

Great info cheers

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Glad to help

[@mattg6472]

What about eggshells through your retort ? Wont the retort make calcium immediately available

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

It WILL be immediately available to to the microorganisms, which is what you want, NOT immediately available to the plants.

[@mattg6472]

@@LiveOnWhatYouGrow perfect thats what we want not water soluble. Is that what they call black calcium ? That should be easier to powderize if desired ?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I never heard of black calcium! But charring the shells make them easier to turn to powder as you say!

[@mattg6472]

@@LiveOnWhatYouGrow how exciting! The charcoal made from wood is 20percent calcium potentially. The chickens will be eating this and in their bedding it will be activated or charged. Thank you for this retort design. I know of others but non fit the wood stove quite like this one

[@mattg6472]

@@LiveOnWhatYouGrow ive learned to charge it with raw vinegar or raw milk with those live micros to start the break down prior to use in the chicken feed or for me

[@ausfoodgarden]

What about Calcium acetate? That's available to the plants, isn't it? Well, via the microbes of course. I add the Calcium powder to vinegar until it's basically pH neutral. The solution I add to the garden and the leftover powder goes into the worm farm. Please let me know if I'm walking up the wrong path.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

According to conventional wisdom, it's the right path, but I don't think so! But that's my opinion. You can disagree if you want, and I won't argue with you! Please follow me in this. Calcium Acetate Ca(CH3COO)2 is water soluble and plant-available just the way it is... with no need for microbes, and that's the problem! It can't have life in it without passing through the body of a microbe! Also, Calcium (Ca) is not the same as Calcium acetate Ca(CH3COO)2. That's almost like saying water (H2O) is the same as Hydrogen and Oxygen. Chemical compounds are always different from the individual elements they're composed of! When a powdered eggshell gets eaten by microorganisms they don't produce Calcium acetate Ca(CH3COO)2, they produce Calcium ions. That's the form plants require-- and it's also what microorganisms require. You know how people say, "Feed the soil and not the plants?" That's what we're doing by creating regenerative soil-- putting as much microbe food into the soil as we can, and letting THEM turn it into the exact form and amount the plants need. Whatever isn't needed by the plants or microorganisms will just stay there as opposed to the water-soluble form which will leach away. The plants have a role in it through their exudates. These exudates are carbon-rich sugars that instruct the fungi and bacteria to go into the surrounding area and convert the minerals in the soil to, again, the exact form and amount the plants need. This is the miracle of LIFE in your soil and you want to work with it and not against it! I don't ever use already water soluble and plant-available nutrients, and I know a lot of people won't understand it, but the soil doesn't want those forms... a plant may like it, but it gives a temporary high to the plant, and creates non-sustainability! It's the same with lime, which so many people add to adjust pH, and it's not a biological source. You can do the same thing with wood ashes, compost, biochar, and microorganisms, all biological (and balanced) sources! Eggshells are biological, they've come from a living source, and when people tell you they're mostly calcium carbonate, they're right, but it's the small amount of what's NOT calcium carbonate that makes all the difference! Plants usually take water-soluble nutrients up in excess, and they're often antagonists, that is, they block the absorption, or metabolic function, of other minerals, and you wind up in an unbalanced situation. And THAT equals insect pests! I prefer to feed the soil and not the plants and let the soil do the work for me. I think it's the only sustainable way in the end! But that's me!

[@ausfoodgarden]

@@LiveOnWhatYouGrow Man that was a heck of a comprehensive reply. Thank you so much. Seems I need to do some research😊

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

@@ausfoodgarden I appreciate you asking the question-- it made me gather all my thoughts from all my years into one place. Thanks!

[@mikeharrington5593]

How to sandblast the inside of your Vitamix container to change it from transparent to opaque !!

[@blissfulacresoffgridhomest2098]

I know right! 😆 I use mine to make nut milks and then dehydrate the solids into flour. Hmmm, maybe I should buy another container to look pretty on the counter. Not! I'd forget and use it! 😆 🤣 😂

[@rogerseed4327]

Hi There so you have blown what I watched recently about putting seeds/. seedlings in egg shells to grow expecting the roots to break through the shells.Thats saved me a lot of time and disappointment as I was going to try this method later so I will stick with toilet tubes cheers

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Thanks

[@cherylperkins7538]

Years ago I went to a yard sale with someone. Bought a blender that is now designated ONLY for my eggshells. A must for tomatoes.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Great idea

[@mildredwilkins5781]

I have a designated eggshell grinder too. The smell lingers. Since I am a professional baker I have a huge supply of eggshells.....yeah!!!! Been using eggshell powder for the 3 years I've been gardening.

[@mar98764]

How long must the eggshells stay in the microwave on the medium warming stand to get to the wright degrees necessary to kill the bad bacteria, microbes... for making toothpaste. Can you eat the eggshells. I heard, seen on KZbin a woman who sayssheeats 1till 2 eggshells a day.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I consume about a teaspoon of eggshells a day mixed with a hot drink or in my smoothie. Scientists say that reaching a temperature of 165°F (74°C) is sufficient to kill any harmful organisms, even if it's just for a second. Just put a drop of water in your microwave if you're concerned about getting the right temperature. When the water drop evaporates, you know the temperature has reached 212°F (100°C) and, according to scientists, is safe. But you should do further research to be completely safe! I've been doing them for 30 seconds in the microwave for many years.

[@mar98764]

@@LiveOnWhatYouGrow thanks very much

[@NonieK2267]

In the microwave does it matter on the strength. I have one that is only 900 as opposed to 1000, or 1100

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I honestly don't know. If you put a small amount of water in there, when it boils away, you know the temp was at least 212°F or 100° C

[@aleksandrakazijas4217]

How much egg powder per 100 square feet. Thanks!

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I'm sorry, I don't know how much egg powder to apply per 100 square feet. I usually mix it into my biochar for inoculation or sprinkle it into my compost. My guess would be to follow the recommendations for adding lime.

[@iamtmckendry]

This seems like quite a bit of effort for what you got out of it.I was trying to do this, then got mold in the shells. I was thinking, if I were to do this, I'd only want to do 1 or 2 batches per year. Does it make sense to heat/dry shells in medium batches, then store in an air tight container and do an annual or bi-annual vitamix run? Does it work okay with generic blenders(ninja?)?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Hello Tyler, welcome to the site. It only looked like a lot of effort for the video. I am now doing much larger batches in the Vitamix. I do store them in airtight containers and so far haven't gotten any mold. We've been dehydrating for some time now and have learned how to keep the moisture away from whatever we're trying to preserve! And that's the key NO MOISTURE!

[@robinham2796]

I put mine in an oven cooked down to bake all the moisture out. No higher than 200 and turn it off. It powders beautifully in my nutribullet!

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

@@robinham2796 Thanks, the dryer the better, especially when you store it!

[@shiffongray1041]

My friend with my towel what I did, and I did this for the first time after using my eggs and it was just the shells left. I put them in the freezer until I was ready to prepare them. Once I took them out of the freezer, I let the fire out then I would run warm water over each individual shell while pulling out the membrane at the same time when I would let them air dry for a couple of minutes and then put them in the oven. I don’t have a wood-burning stove and let them do the rest so that alleviate any mold this is something you might want to do on the day time to do it all in one day or a few hours, depending on how many eggs you have and crushed jar for container I hope that helps

[@alannakennedy5273]

I freeze my shells until I'm ready to process.

[@grabby7667]

I have a couple questions.....Can you use a coffee grinder? Also, since you said the powder was a little abrasive, could it be used as an exfoliant on your skin? Thank you. I suppose you also recommend pasture raised organic eggs? Thank you, I'm definitely going to try this in my smoothies.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Hi Gail, I've gotten a lot of comments from people who successfully use a coffee grinder to grind their eggshells. I suppose you could use it as an exfoliant if you grind it fine enough, but you might want to check with someone who has tried it. I can't tell anyone what to do, but I would definitely give it a try. BTW, I now grind the powder longer in the Vitamix until it becomes the consistency of very fine flour. That might be what you want to use for that application. Then again, you might want more abrasiveness than that! If you try it let us know the results.

[@georgewashington3555]

I use coffee grinder and it works very well.

[@southernladywithmanyhats7428]

How much of the powdered eggs shells should one use for calcium? Not for the soil or worms but humans? I broke my foot back in Sept. of 23 VERY BAD (all the bones going to my toes were broken) and they x rayed my knee and back since I fell and I have those E words you talked about so I really NEED this egg shell powder but also need to know how much to use each day of it please.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I can't tell you how much to consume, but I can tell you that I take about a teaspoon every day.

[@julian777ju5]

Wow thank you for the info

[@Growinginontario]

Good video. I would like to add another point that with good soil biology plants can send exudates to attract bacteria which can adjust the PH most desired by the plant to grow optimally.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Great point! And that's why I prefer to POWDER the eggshells, rather than processing it into WCA (Water Soluble Calcium). I much prefer to have the plant exudates convert the eggshells to the plant usable form of calcium, rather than doing all the work and spending the money to produce WCA which will then leach out of my soil!

[@NonieK2267]

How long does it take to get to 165 in the oven ?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Even though we know any harmful bacteria is killed at 165°F (74°C) It is recommended to keep them at 200°F (84°C) for 10-15 minutes by the FDA.

[@raydowdy6914]

I seen were a guy said there is a membrane on the inside of the shell that won't decompose. He broke them up had heated them up in a skillet until they turned light brown and then used them.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Sounds like a good idea.

[@nancyte7]

Thank you

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

You're welcome!

[@robertshorthill6836]

My tomatoes suffer from Blossom End Rot, which is mostly a Calcium deficiency in and around the root system. Toms are heavy feeders and require a good source of minerals during the fruiting and ripening stages. Mix broken down egg shells ( soaked in vinegar for two weeks) into composted soil and mix this with tomato soil. BER is never going to be eliminated completely, but this will help.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

Glad you're making and using Water-soluble Calcium (WCA). More people should try it What you're describing is a perfect reason for using WCA. If you're still having BER after that, you might want to try foliar spraying at blossoming time! You only need a 1:1000 ratio. It really helps! Check out this PDF from the University of Hawaii: www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/SA-10.pdf

[@tashasgran]

BER is often caused by inconsistent watering. I’ve been growing them in my greenhouse for years and have been very lucky with eliminating this each year.

[@lawrencelawrence3920]

I had no idea that eggshells dont break down in the garden. Thanks for the info.

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

They'll break down... but not in your lifetime!

[@lawrencelawrence3920]

@@LiveOnWhatYouGrow incouraging, then there is hope.....maybe in the next lifetime

[@snuffoutrouge5109]

can I use this powder in hydroponics as I use calcium Caltrate ATM .? also I have budgies can I add it to their water to boost their calcium for their egg laying. ?

[@LiveOnWhatYouGrow]

I'm not sure, but probably not for the hydro. I think it would be better to make water soluble calcium (WCA) per the instructions from the University of Hawaii: www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/SA-10.pdf As for giving it to your birds, if I were you, I would go ahead and do it, if they don't need it they won't eat it.