Re: [compost_tea] Re: fungal foods for worms

From: Stuart Baxter <stu.baxter_at_virgin.net>
Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2003 13:45:00 +0100

This may be stating the obvious, but: -

"Based on my experience with egg shells, I don't think worms will do a lot =
with crab shells."

"I know that worms don't do much with them (egg shells), but out in the big=
 compost bins they do eventually seem to break down. Generally I just stock=
pile them, boil them a bit to sterilize them, and then crumble them into th=
e hens' feed. I'm guessing that their own eggshells might make calcium more=
 easily available to them than oyster shell (which they also get), but agai=
n I may just be talking through my hat."

Talking about worms and chickens in this context it's worth remembering tha=
t *neither have teeth*.

If a food won't break down to very small particles or go soft it won't pass=
 through a worm. A better bet might just be the addition of rock dust to th=
e worm bin food supply to act as a grinding agent in the digestive system o=
f the worm.

Chickens need grit in their gizzard in the same way: to grind up the food. =
A good chicken grit should supply all the calcium it needs - if it doesn't,=
 and I've seen it happen, you get eggs laid in just the membrane; no shell!

Egg shells have two (other) uses. Dried (in the oven?) and crushed they can=
 be used as a tonic for houseplants by pouring boiling water over them; the=
 cooled liquid presumably has a goodly supply of calcium in it. After that =
if spread around plants they are supposed to stop slugs and snails getting =
to them, but this is a fallacy, and will add a mineral supply to the soil.

Be well

Stuart






Received on Mon Oct 20 2003 - 15:05:39 EDT

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