Can You Compost Eggshells?

Composting eggshells is an easy way to reduce waste, save money and provide nutrients for your garden. Composting eggshells also gives you calcium-rich material that balances out the acidic material in your compost pile. While you can’t use whole eggs in compost piles, there are several ways to add crushed eggshells to your compost heap. Keep reading!

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Yes, You Can Compost Eggshells!

Eggshells are biodegradable and a good source of calcium, which helps plants thrive. You can add them to your compost piles and let nature do the rest.

It’s important to note that eggshells should not be composted on their own. They need other materials, such as nitrogen-rich foods like coffee grounds and vegetable scraps, in order to break down properly. A good rule of thumb is to mix your eggshells with other compostable items so they don’t take over your pile.

Add Calcium-Rich Materials like Eggshells to Balance the Acidic Material in Your Compost Pile.

Eggshells are acidic, so they need to be balanced with higher pH (more alkaline) materials. These materials include eggshells, bones, and oyster shells. If you don’t have any of these on hand, there are other ways to balance out the pH in your compost pile. For example, if you have access to grass clippings or leaves (both of which are high in carbon), those can help raise the overall acidity level of your compost pile.

If you don’t have access to any of these materials, then you can use lime or wood ash (both of which are alkaline).

Eggshells Make a Good Source of Calcium for Plants.

Eggs are a great source of protein, but did you know that eggshells also have other uses? Eggshells make a good source of calcium for plants. Plants need calcium for healthy growth and strong bones and teeth in humans. If you add eggshells to your backyard compost pile, ensure they are clean first. Soak them in water and scrub off any sticky residue before adding them to your compost pile.

If you are not composting, eggshells can still be used to provide calcium for plants. Just crush them up, sprinkle them around your plants, or add them to the soil when planting.

Composting Eggshells Reduces Waste and Provides Nutrients for Your Garden.

Whether you are a vegan or just want to reduce your family’s food waste, composting eggshells is an easy way to add some extra nutrients to the soil in your garden.

The shells are composed of about 10% calcium carbonate, which is great for plants that need lime, like tomatoes and roses. They also contain small amounts of phosphorus and magnesium—two minerals that help plants grow strong roots, as well as flowers and fruits.

Eggshells are also a good source of calcium, which is great for your plants’ health. When an egg is cracked open, it leaves behind a small amount of the white part in the shell, which contains most calcium.

Add Crushed Eggshells to Your Compost Piles.

Avoid adding whole eggshells to your compost pile, as they may take too long to break down. Instead, crush them into smaller pieces with a hammer or other heavy object before adding them to the compost.

Crushed eggshells are an excellent source of calcium, potassium, and phosphorus—three important nutrients in the soil that are easily absorbed by plants and can help improve their growth. However, crushed eggshells will probably not provide enough calcium for your garden plants on their own because they are only about 20% calcium by weight (unlike oyster shells which have up to 60%).

In addition, crushed eggshells do not contain any nitrogen, so you should ensure that you still add some composted manure or other high-nitrogen materials when using crushed eggshells as part of your compost mix!

Conclusion

So, now you know that you can compost eggshells. It’s an easy way to reduce waste and create nutrient-rich compost for your garden. After collecting discarded shells from breakfast or dinner, break them into pieces with a rolling pin or hammer. Then place them in your compost bin along with other vegetable scraps like carrot tops and potato peels!