DIY: Eggshell Herb Garden

by Hayley Mcavoy

Since moving into my new apartment, I’ve been trying to find a way to make it more homey. At my house in Sacramento, I have more than 20 fruit trees, grapevines, a vegetable garden and countless basil and mint plants. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough room in my apartment for fruit trees and grapevines, and I don’t think I am responsible enough to tend to a vegetable patch. So an herb garden it is!

In order to make this easier to fit into a college apartment, I opted to make an eggshell herb garden. Eggshells are small, easy to store and already abundant in my apartment. They also supply nourishment to the growing seeds as well as being biodegradable. So it’s a win-win.

The eggshells are used to get the plants started. After the seeds sprout, plant them in a pot and watch the herbs flourish.

For my mini garden, I planted mint and basil. Both of these require about four hours of sunlight a day. They can be grown year-round, but keep temperatures at about 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray them with water every one to two days.

Materials

Eggs

Egg carton

Seeds

Planting soil

Small spoon

Spray bottle

Safety pin

Knife

Instructions

(1) Use the knife to cut off the top of the egg and pour out the contents.

(2) Rinse out eggshells. You can boil them too, for a deep clean.

(3) Let the eggshells dry and trim the edges down to the desired height.

(4) Using the safety pin, carefully poke a hole in the bottom of the eggshell. This will provide proper drainage for your herbs.

(5) Put eggshells in a carton and spray with water.

(6) Using the spoon, scoop the soil into the eggs.

(7) Plant the seeds. Read the directions on the seed packet for special instructions.

(8) Spritz with water and place in a sunny, indoor area.

(9) Water periodically, according to the seed packet instructions, and wait!