Do Eggshells Deter Slugs?

There are many natural ways of deterring slugs that gardeners have developed and found work. One method that people have tried is by using eggshells. But do eggshells deter slugs successfully, or is it just a myth?

Yes, eggshells can deter slugs thanks to their sharp, jagged edges that make it difficult and uncomfortable for slugs to travel across.

Do Eggshells Repel Slugs?

Eggshells do not repel slugs because of their smell, but they certainly can help to keep slugs at bay. Because of the sharp edges of eggshells, slugs struggle to travel over them and therefore will not be able to reach any plants that are surrounded by eggshells.

Unfortunately, it’s not necessarily a foolproof deterrent and it has been proven to be ineffective against some slugs. Like many deterrents, you will have to test it out. Fortunately, eggshells are just a kitchen byproduct that won’t cost you a penny.

Now, let’s have a look at how to utilise eggshells in the battle against slugs: 

How to use Eggshells to Deter Slugs

Using eggshells to deter slugs is an easy process. All you need is, well, some cooked eggs and their shells. There is a trick to making the eggshells more effective as a repellent, however.

They need to be clean and dry to retain their sharp and brittle edges. Removing the inner membrane of the egg also helps you to make the eggshells more effective as a deterrent.

After gathering up your clean and dry eggshells, give them a gentle crush (you’re not looking to create a powder) then sprinkle them on top of the soil around plants that you want to protect.

It is better to place the eggshells in soil rather than on the hard ground as they are less likely to be blown away by any wind.

Also, as mentioned before, eggshells will lose their effectiveness as a deterrent if they get wet. So, after it rains, you will need to replace the eggshells otherwise your plants will not be protected from the slugs. 

Do Other Textures Deter Slugs?

As we have mentioned, eggshells work to repel slugs because of their rough texture. There are actually many different types of terrain that work similarly to eggshells to help deter slugs.

Here is a list of some other terrains that you can utilise around your garden to help keep the slugs away from your plants:

Mulch

Mulch is a mixture of plant matter that can be added to soil to make it healthier for plants. In mulch, you may find dried leaves, bark, wood shavings and sometimes possibly eggshells themselves.

This mixture, therefore, contains a lot of sharp and rough materials.

Sprinkling it on top of plant pots and flower beds therefore not only helps your plants to grow, but it also works to deter slugs as its rough consistency makes it difficult and uncomfortable terrain for slugs to cross. 

Gravel

There are many different types of gravel and almost all of them can be used to help drive slugs away. This is because the terrain of gravel is cold, hard and very sharp.

Gravel being formed of small pieces of stone works very well because it means that slugs cannot travel over it safely and therefore will avoid it.

As well as using gravel in plant pots, people have also used a gravel perimeter around their garden to keep slugs from entering in the first place. 

Slate

Slate is very similar to gravel in terms of how it works. Slugs are put off by slate flagging because of their cold and hard nature. It makes it difficult and uncomfortable for them to cross and they will avoid doing so unless it is absolutely necessary. 

Whilst all of these methods are effective against slugs, there are some instances where sheer willpower will win out.

If a slug is desperate for food, then they might just risk crossing the uncomfortable terrain. Using repellent smells as well as repellent terrain is a good way to try and enforce this. 

Summary

To summarise what we have learnt, slugs do not like eggshells, and they can be deterred by them. They do not like eggshells because they are sharp, making it difficult terrain for slugs to cross.

Eggshells also help to deter other garden pests, including snails and cutworms. Other examples of terrain that can be used to help repel slugs include gravel, slate and mulch which may sometimes contain eggshells themselves. 

One word of caution is that eggshells are not 100% effective. It’s worth trying if you cook with eggs and, therefore, have freely available eggshells that you can experiment with.