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What's Decomposing - Egg Shells
Here's a lonely egg shell sitting on the top of my compost pile. It looks like it has some coffee grinds sprinkled on it but that makes sense because my kitchen compost crock is usually full of coffee grinds (with the filters) and egg shells.
Weekend breakfast in my family of four is great for the compost bin. During the week it's we'll eat cereal or toast or something quick. But on the weekends we like to sit down and eat a hearty breakfast together. And hearty is good for creating compostables.
My wife and I will have two cups of coffee and that means 4 coffee filters full of coffee grinds. 4 filters you say? Yes, we don't use a regular coffee pot anymore. We find it easier to make each cup individually with a Melitta Cone Coffee Maker
And then we'll have 2 eggs each. So that's 8 egg shells in one sitting. And since I eat like piggie, let's just say that I have a few more than my share of two. Egg shells are loaded with great stuff that's good for plants. I know of lot of people who crush the shells and put them directly in their garden.
But that's more work than necessary, so I just like to toss mine in the compost bin as you can see.
12 Comments:
I placed them first around a tree the paperbark maple I have had such bad luck in growing...lost 4 previously and I noticed to my delight that the eggshells were being nicely incorporated into the soil. I was looking out the back door one day at the maple and noticed a bird flitting around the base of it. After a little while it picked up a piece of eggshell and flew off. The birds were taking the shells to eat! I guess they are calcium deficient too!
Well, at least the tree seems to have made it ok despite the lack of eggshells.
Crafty, I just put my shells into my kitchen compost crock and eventually they make it out to my compost bin. No washing, drying, crushing or any extra work necessary. If a bird snags one then good for him. :)
Although, I do see the point of needing compost quickly. And that's why I'm looking into a compost tumbler.
Thanks for the heads up. My garden - and my pantry - thank you.
I take a razor knife, cut them into 2-3 inch strips, then soak the strips in a gallon or two of rain water over night to loosen up the glue. Once soaked, the pizza box strips are then seperated into the individual sheets, torn and thrown into the bin. They are generally unrecognizable within just a couple days.
Wam, great idea with the pizza box. Our town recycling won't take pizza boxes either. I may have to copy your idea, thanks!