How to Compost Shells
- 1). Save eggshells and seafood shells from cooking to add to your compost.
- 2). Collect the shells in a bag in the freezer until the bag gets full. Spread out the shells on a baking sheet. Bake them at 250 degrees for 20 minutes to an hour. This will kill any bacteria on the shells and will make them easier to crush.
- 3). Spread out the shells on newspaper, and crush them with a rolling pin or hammer. The smaller the pieces of shell, the faster they will decompose.
- 4). Add crushed seafood shells and egg shells to your existing compost pile. Mix them in well, spreading them through the rest of the compost.
- 5). Water the compost pile. The texture of the compost should be that of a wrung-out sponge. Using a pitchfork or a shovel, turn the compost to add air. The microbes and microorganisms in the compost need air to break down materials.
- 6). Check the temperature of your compost. It should heat up to between 130 and 170 degrees. The heat helps break down the crushed shells. If bits of shell remain in the finished compost, don't worry. Shell pieces will continue to decompose, adding lime and calcium to the soil as they break down.
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