Naturally Dyed Eggs

Melinda’s Garden Moments is heard Mon.-Fri. at 7:45 and 10:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. on WHAV.

Melinda’s Garden Moments is heard Mon.-Fri. at 7:45 and 10:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. on WHAV.

Decorated eggs are part of many springtime and religious celebrations. This year consider using natural materials to dye your eggs.

Start by gathering vegetables, flowers and herbs to make the desired dye. Use one cup of blueberries for purple, 2 cups of chopped red cabbage for blue, 2 cups of chopped beets for pink and a handful of carrot tops or 2 TBSP of turmeric for yellow. A handful of onion skins will give you gold, while two tablespoons of coffee grounds or four tea bags make a brown dye.

Place each dye ingredient in two cups of water and bring to a boil. Strain off the plant material and allow to it cool. Then add two tablespoons of vinegar.

Dip cooled hardboiled eggs in the cup of dye. Leave it submerged until you have the desired color. And if it doesn’t turn out, keep experimenting.

A bit more information: Put eggshells to work as planters. Fill them with a bit of potting mix, plant a seed or two, cover and water. Once the seeds sprout, move them to a sunny window. Then crack the egg shell and place the plant in its eggshell pot in garden when the time is right.

For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com.