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#16
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New to composting
Frogleg wrote:
On Sat, 23 Aug 2003 11:11:05 GMT, "Compostman" wrote: "Pam Rudd" wrote In the spring I crush and spread my egg shells like bread crumbs for the birds. Everything from the robins to the wrens get some. That's better than putting them in compost. Egg shells are not organic ?? What are they? Polystyrene? Aluminum foil? don't breakdown very well. I hate to argue with someone named Compostman, but I've been rinsing, crushing, and adding the few eggshells I have to compost for years and they seem to be absorbed into the mass. Or maybe the birds got them. While I tend to lean away from folkloric recipes, crushed eggshells are often recommended as a calcium source for both roses, where a long decomposition time wouldn't be crucial, and tomatoes -- an annual for which they'd be no use at all if their calcium didn't become rather quickly available to the plant. If I add a few eggshells every year, eventually the darned things will become available ... and there will be a steady stream of them coming available every year thereafter for many years beyond the day I stop adding them. Speed of decomposition isn't the only factor to consider ... unless you only intend to use soil once. Bill -- Zone 8b (Detroit, MI) I do not post my address to news groups. |
#17
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New to composting
"Noydb" wrote in message
... Frogleg wrote: On Sat, 23 Aug 2003 11:11:05 GMT, "Compostman" wrote: "Pam Rudd" wrote In the spring I crush and spread my egg shells like bread crumbs for the birds. Everything from the robins to the wrens get some. That's better than putting them in compost. Egg shells are not organic ?? What are they? Polystyrene? Aluminum foil? I meant that in the organic chemistry sense, not biological sense. don't breakdown very well. I hate to argue with someone named Compostman, but I've been rinsing, crushing, and adding the few eggshells I have to compost for years and they seem to be absorbed into the mass. Or maybe the birds got them. While I tend to lean away from folkloric recipes, crushed eggshells are often recommended as a calcium source for both roses, where a long decomposition time wouldn't be crucial, and tomatoes -- an annual for which they'd be no use at all if their calcium didn't become rather quickly available to the plant. If I add a few eggshells every year, eventually the darned things will become available ... and there will be a steady stream of them coming available every year thereafter for many years beyond the day I stop adding them. Speed of decomposition isn't the only factor to consider ... unless you only intend to use soil once. I think it depends upon how one composts. I live in the city with very limited space. So I compost in bins and turn very frequently. And tear things apart with my hands or a grinder. Egg shells look like eye balls, even 6 months later. So I dry them in the oven, grind them in a blender, and put them around plants such as hostas. I certainly don't recommend throwing them away. And the birds could get them, which is another beneficial use of egg shells. -Compostman Bill -- Zone 8b (Detroit, MI) I do not post my address to news groups. |
#18
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New to composting
On Fri, 05 Sep 2003 08:58:45 GMT, "Compostman"
wrote: Frogleg wrote: On Sat, 23 Aug 2003 11:11:05 GMT, "Compostman" wrote: "Pam Rudd" wrote In the spring I crush and spread my egg shells like bread crumbs for the birds. Everything from the robins to the wrens get some. That's better than putting them in compost. Egg shells are not organic ?? What are they? Polystyrene? Aluminum foil? I meant that in the organic chemistry sense, not biological sense. Do you mean that eggshells contain no carbon? What *do* you mean by this? |
#19
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New to composting
On Fri, 05 Sep 2003 08:58:45 GMT, "Compostman"
wrote: On Sat, 23 Aug 2003 11:11:05 GMT, "Compostman" wrote: don't breakdown very well. I think it depends upon how one composts. I live in the city with very limited space. So I compost in bins and turn very frequently. And tear things apart with my hands or a grinder. Egg shells look like eye balls, even 6 months later. So I dry them in the oven, grind them in a blender, and put them around plants such as hostas. I certainly don't recommend throwing them away. And the birds could get them, which is another beneficial use of egg shells. Try this: rinse the eggshells, turn upside down, and let dry. Then crumble by hand and add to your compost. At least they won't look like "eyeballs," and you won't have to use your oven and blender(!) to recycle. |
#20
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New to composting
Compostman wrote:
I meant that [eggs are not organic] in the organic chemistry sense, not biological sense. I'm even more confused. Eggshells contain organic chemicals, as far as I know. Perhaps you could explain this to someone who has a history degree, not a science degree. I think it depends upon how one composts. I live in the city with very limited space. So I compost in bins and turn very frequently. And tear things apart with my hands or a grinder. Egg shells look like eye balls, even 6 months later. So I dry them in the oven, grind them in a blender, and put them around plants such as hostas. I certainly don't recommend throwing them away. And the birds could get them, which is another beneficial use of egg shells. Goodness. Here's my method: 1. Take out some eggs for cooking. 2. Crack eggs, cook innards. 3. Crush eggshells with hand, drop into "compost bowl" next to sink. 4. At the end of the day, empty compost bowl onto compost pile. Cover with grass clippings. 5. Turn every few days. Within two weeks those suckers are gone. Andrew |
#21
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New to composting
On 8/21 I posted about my compost bin and started a long thread.
Within 24 hours of filling the bin, the temperature 12" down in it was 140 F. There has been no objectionable odor and now the compost has settled to about 50% of its volume. I have two 39 gallon garbage cans full of very fine red oak shavings and when I mow lawn tomorrow am going to mix the shavings with the grass clippings and fill the bin again.. Due to all of the rain we are having here (southern tier of NY State) I am going to remove it from the bin next week, stir it up and put it back. Thanjs for all the info I got from the last post. |
#22
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New to composting
Allan Matthews wrote:
On 8/21 I posted about my compost bin and started a long thread. Within 24 hours of filling the bin, the temperature 12" down in it was 140 F. There has been no objectionable odor and now the compost has settled to about 50% of its volume. I have two 39 gallon garbage cans full of very fine red oak shavings and when I mow lawn tomorrow am going to mix the shavings with the grass clippings and fill the bin again.. Due to all of the rain we are having here (southern tier of NY State) I am going to remove it from the bin next week, stir it up and put it back. Thanjs for all the info I got from the last post. Sounds like you are off to an excellent start. I would suggest that you mix in 1/4 (by volume) straw, 1/4 shavings and 1/2 clippings. Layer it to measure and then turn it a couple times to mix it. Add water to moisten during the final turning and you should be golden. I have found that the straw allows for good infiltration of oxygen and that this makes a difference in how long the pile is able to hold the higher temps. Bill -- Zone 5b (Detroit, MI) I do not post my address to news groups. |
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