How To Plant Succulents in Eggshells

I’ll be the first to admit that keeping plants alive is not my strong suit. After years of denial—and time, money, and effort wasted—I now stick to a strict succulent-only rule when bringing plants home.

For a twist on regular potted succulents, I decided to plant some in eggshells. It was a fun way to combine my love of food and cooking with my (relatively) newfound success caring for succulents. The whole project was quick and easy and the finished product now happily rests on the windowsill above my kitchen sink.

Succulents, when cared for properly, are nearly impossible to kill. (I say nearly because I have killed a few—it happens to all of us Black Thumbs now and then.) Give them plenty of natural light and water them sparingly and they’ll be sure to thrive. They require minimal effort and will let you know (by way of looking a bit wilted or puckered) when they’re ready for some more attention.

I love having them around, not only for their low-maintenance needs, but also for their ability to instantly bring life and light to every room.

Head to your local nursery, grocery store, or home improvement store, and check out the selection. Baby (or miniature) succulents are going to be your best bet. Go for a variety of shapes and textures and aim for mostly green succulents, which are better suited to indoor growing than succulents of other colors.

I went to a nursery in Maine that had very limited options, so I purchased two potted succulents (a blue spruce and some hens-and-chicks) and cut off clippings to plant in the eggshells.

Succulents are easily propagated from cuttings from other plants, too, so if you have a friend with well-established succulents (indoors or outdoors) ask if you can have a few clippings.

The key to keeping succulents happy is ensuring they can drain easily. You can purchase potting soil designated specifically for planting succulents, or you can make your own by thoroughly combining regular potting soil, coarse horticulture-grade sand, and a grit component like pumice or perlite to promote water drainage. Home Depot has a handy guide for mixing soil:

→ A Guide to Potting Soil at Home Depot

Don’t forget that this is a two-part project! When part one (planting the succulents) is all said and done, you’ll have six eggs to eat. Whip them all up with fresh veggies and cheese in a big frittata or scramble them until they’re soft and creamy. You can also pour each egg out into individual ramekins with butter and fresh herbs to bake in the oven. Or, for a different take on eggs in ramekins, try these Korean steamed eggs.

A half-dozen carton of eggs
An assortment of small succulents (enough to fill six eggshells)
Potting soil

Butter knife
Small spoon
Spray bottle

1. Open the shells. With the back of a butter knife, carefully tap the pointy top of the egg, just until you create a small crack. Using your fingers, remove bits of the shell from the top until you have a hole big enough to pour out the whites and yolk.

2. Clean the shells. Pour out the contents of the eggs (see ideas for using the leftover eggs above!) and set aside. Gently rinse the eggshells out with warm soap and water and set them back into the carton to dry.

3. Fill the shells. Using a small and narrow spoon, fill each eggshell about 3/4 of the way full with potting soil.

4. Add the succulents. Carefully remove succulents from their original containers. Create a small well in the soil with your finger, gently place the succulent root into the well, and lightly pack the soil around it. If needed, cover with a small amount of additional soil to help anchor the succulent.

5. Maintain the succulents. Immediately give the succulents a light spritz of water from a spray bottle and set them in a spot with great natural light. As far as future watering goes, just keep an eye on the succulents. To avoid overwatering, the soil should feel completely dry to the touch before you spray with water again.

• As always when working with raw eggs, remember to wash your hands thoroughly and disinfect any surfaces that may have come in contact with the raw eggs.