I used to crush the egg shells and even roast them in the oven, but boy that
stunk. If you have trouble with blossom end rot on your tomatoes, you can crush
a few in the bottom of the planting hole for the toms. but mostly just compost
them. I have NEVER heard of peeling out the membrane, and see absolutely no
sense in that. The will compost faster if you crush them a little, though.

susan

Peggy wrote:

I'm just getting into this composting thing, and I heard if you add
eggshells, you have to peel out the membrane inside all of them prior to
adding - is this true? I'm a pastry chef and have lots of shells every
week - can you add too many shells?
Thanks for any input.
Peg

On Sun, 04 May 2003 01:31:37 GMT, "Peggy"
wrote:

I'm just getting into this composting thing, and I heard if you add
eggshells, you have to peel out the membrane inside all of them prior to
adding - is this true? I'm a pastry chef and have lots of shells every
week - can you add too many shells?
Thanks for any input.

No. Why would you do that? I've certainly never done it.

I can't think there'd be too many shells - you of course are
adding other things too? Green leafy things, kitchen
scraps, grass clippings, hay, etc., and a shovel full of
soil now and then.

Pat

Can you share a bit about how you did the indoor worm composting? Did you
buy a kit? Are there any good sites you saw about this? thanks deb
"Pen" wrote in message
om...
The only time I had to peel out the insides was to add to my indoor
worm compost. Decomposing membrane has a strong smell. Outdoors,
it's not noticable at all. They're great for neutralizing acidic soil
and compost.

I have heard of another use for egg shells in the garden. They apparently
draw some kind of insect that doesn't harm your garden, but attack the eggs
of harmful nematodes that damage the roots of your tomatoes and I assume,
other veggies. Just bury some around the plants when you plant them and let
them do want comes natural.

Dwayne




"Peggy" wrote in message
news:Z3_sa.723740$F1.93581@sccrnsc04...
I'm just getting into this composting thing, and I heard if you add
eggshells, you have to peel out the membrane inside all of them prior to
adding - is this true? I'm a pastry chef and have lots of shells every
week - can you add too many shells?
Thanks for any input.
Peg

Do a search for vermicompost, you'll find tonnes of info. My favorite
site is:

http://www.wormdigest.org/

I got my worms for free from my local government waste management
facility. I'm using rubbermaid containers. I had a 10gal but found
it hard to lift & clean as the volume increased. Now using several
3gal. I would not recommend smaller as it's easy to over-feed the
bedding. Read everything before trying it out. It's a bit more
maintenance than regular composting but easier then raising a
goldfish.

We dry egg shells in the oven after it's been used for cooking. Then crush
them, and when we have a lot, we run them through a blender, then use on
plants that like a higher pH (most vegetables). Egg shells don't really
compost. I think they're calcium carbonate, which, I believe is the same
thing as lime. I think they're too valuable just to put in the compost,
plus who wants to look at eyeballs every time the compost pile is turned.
--
Compostman
Washington, DC
Zone 7
"Peggy" wrote in message
news:Z3_sa.723740$F1.93581@sccrnsc04...
I'm just getting into this composting thing, and I heard if you add
eggshells, you have to peel out the membrane inside all of them prior to
adding - is this true? I'm a pastry chef and have lots of shells every
week - can you add too many shells?
Thanks for any input.
Peg