Egg Shells ...

[Moose]

I try and save most organic materials from my kitchen and put them around plants to compost. I also save egg shells as well. Being composed mostly calcium, which there is no lack of in my soil, is there any other minerals in the egg shells that would be worth adding to my soil? Am I just wasting my time?

 

[Phil Stager]

Egg shells are very slow to decompose. If your soil suffered a CA or Mg deficiency, there's quicker ways to improve it. However, you are not going to hurt anything with egg shells.

 

[Crotonologist]

From General Chemistry Online:
"The main ingredient in eggshells is calcium carbonate (the same brittle white stuff that chalk, limestone, cave stalactites, sea shells, coral, and pearls are made of). The shell itself is about 95% CaCO3 (which is also the main ingredient in sea shells). The remaining 5% includes calcium phosphate and magnesium carbonate and soluble and insoluble proteins."
http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/consumer/faq/eggshell-composition.shtml

 

[Moose]

Curious about bones? , beef, pork, lamb, etc ... do they provide any benefit to the soil? I've been burying them beneath the mulch. If they are 95% calcium as well, perhaps I shouldn't bother.

 

[Central Floridave]

Although composting is really good idea, I don't do it because I don't want to attract raccoon and rats.

You can buy bonemeal for a fertilizer so I'm sure your left over bones would work also. But, I'm worried about critters and you also have to be careful with bacteria. Handling table scraps and letting it rot in your yard has to bring some nasties. So, I guess composting in a closed bin rather than burying under mulch is a better idea. Plus, I have dogs, how long would a pork chop last under the mulch? LOL...