A gardening expert has shared how adding a simple kitchen extra to soil can help lavender plants flourish this spring.
Katherine McPhillips and Vita Molyneux Travel reporter
15:19, 04 Mar 2026
This trick will help your lavender flourish(Image: Ekaterina savyolova via Getty Images)
Lavender, with its calming scent and striking purple flowers, is a favourite in the garden. If you’re looking to give yours a boost this spring, there’s one natural ingredient that could work wonders when added to the soil.
Jean, a gardening enthusiast and founder of Green Jeane, stumbled upon an unexpected discovery after accidentally using substandard sand in her herb plant mixture. Despite this blunder, her lavender thrived remarkably well, reports the Express.
The reason? Jean had incorporated eggshells into the soil, and this organic fertiliser proved to be the key to keeping her plant robust.
She explained: “The lavender also had some of that old sandy mix but also lots of eggshells mixed in, so it was doing much better and I didn’t bother to remove the sand when repotting it. I’m amazed at how much bigger and healthier the lavender looks!”
Though it may seem peculiar, eggshells are packed with calcium, which fortifies plants and improves soil drainage, preventing lavender from becoming waterlogged.
Lavender prefers neutral to slightly alkaline conditions, making eggshells particularly beneficial as they help reduce acidity in the earth.
Eggshells help plants grow stronger and help improve the soil(Image: Getty)
Jean championed eggs as a simple and natural way to feed lavenders for those keen to enhance their soil quality, although she cautioned that collecting sufficient eggshells can take some effort.
She explained: “My favourite amendment to lighten soil is simply dried and crushed eggshells. I like using Perlite, but it’s very dusty and of course you have to buy it.
Jean continued: “The only downside to using eggshells is that you have to be patient and save up a lot (or eat lots of eggs!) but I don’t repot that often, so I usually have just enough. “
How to use eggshells as a natural lavender feed
Start by rinsing the eggshells after use to wash away any remaining yolk traces, as leftover food particles can draw in unwanted pests and create unpleasant odours.
Jean advised: “If you’re going to use eggshells, be sure to rinse them first and dry thoroughly (a day or two) before crushing. Sticky membranes and yolk reside left inside the shell will make it clump together and have an odour.”
Once you’ve gathered sufficient eggshells, spread them across a baking tray and pop them in the oven at 200C for 10 to 15 minutes.
Following this, take a rolling pin or comparable tool to break down the eggshells into smaller fragments. Drying and crushing the shells is essential as it accelerates their breakdown, enabling the lavender to take up the nutrients far more efficiently.
The pointed, rough fragments of eggshell can also deter a variety of pests such as slugs, snails and other insects from nearing your lavender plants, providing them with protection.
You’ll only require one to two tablespoons of eggshells to reap the rewards. Feed them once in spring and again in summer — an overabundance of nutrients in the soil could result in overfertilisation and potentially burn the plant roots.
Taking the time to produce dried crushed eggshells will maintain your plants’ health, improve the soil and ward off specific pests, guaranteeing your flowers thrive throughout spring.
Dining and Cooking