[Quick Answer] Are Peanut Shells Good for Compost Or Not?
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Are Peanut Shells good for compost? Peanut shells or grounded shells are very useful for compost. But you need to know the usage. Well, biodegradable wastes make the best compost. Just like you make your own “green” compost bin, you can make the “brown” too.
Stick around to the end of this article to learn more about peanut shells in compost. Here, you will understand why they are so good for compost and how to add them to your compost bin.
Table of Contents
Are Peanut Shells good for compost?
Well, Peanut Shells are the secret ingredient to add charm to your compost bin. But why so? To know that, firstly, you have to understand how compost builds and works.
When you put a lot of ingredients to make your compost, they need enough nourishment to break down and mix along. Because, until they mix, they won’t turn into compost and will remain just as waste.
The nourishment they require to break down is derived from Carbon. So, your compost bin must have something that can produce and supply enough Carbon so that the material breaks downmixes up quickly, and makes the best compost for your garden.
Peanut Shells are a massive source of Carbon. When you add them to your compost bin, the Carbon nourishes the microorganism and makes a faster compost mixture. But aren’t Peanut Shells looking hard? Are Peanut Shells biodegradable? Aren’t they tough to break down, let alone mixing in the compost?
Well, yes. Peanut Shells are tough to break down because of the cellulose tissues tightly intertwined within. So, how can you use Peanut Shells in compost?
How to use Peanut Shells for compost?
You can use Peanut Shells in several ways. Here we describe the most effective and popular forms of using Peanut Shells in Compost.
What to do if the Peanut Shells are salted?
First of all, you have to look for infected Peanut Shells. If you find any, throw them away. Because infected shells can transmit the infection to your plant roots. And it is highly contagious for your plants.
If the Peanut Shells are salted, rinse them with clean water; then, soak the shells for at least 12 hours. Change the water at least once in the soaking process. You can do it after 6 hours of soaking. If you are not sure the salt is out, you can also change the water every 4 hours three times.
Make sure you clear out the salt as profoundly as possible. Because too much salt can intoxicate your plants and harm them.
What to do to make the soil of Peanut Shells?
You can make the soil of the Peanut Shells. For that, you have to sundry the shells. Or you can put the shells in the oven for 10-15 minutes. After that, grind the shells together in a grinder. Now, you can crush the pellets until they become powder. Or, you can keep them in hunches. You can use both forms for making the soil. You can also put the shells in a packet and grind by hitting them with something solid.
Suppose you are using salted peanut shells. Do the salt cleaning process first and then sundry them. If you use unsalted roasted or raw Peanut Shells, you can simply follow the following steps.
In the pot, put the soil you made and add seeds. You can add any vermicompost as well. Then again, put some Peanut Shell soil and water it. You will see the results soon.
What to do to Mulch with Peanut Shells?
You can do mulching with peanut shells because they are free from pathogenic bacteria and fungus. So, your plant won’t be affected by any pests or harmful bacteria.
Add the sun-dried peanut shells in the pot to a 1-inch layer to do the mulching. Add some soil over it, and it’s done.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How long does it take for peanut shells to decompose?
As Peanut Shells are a hard material and have strong cellulose bonding, it takes a good time to decompose. It may take a month or even a year to decompose. For ease of use, you can grind or hunch down the shells.
Do Nut Shells make good compost?
Yes. Nut Shells make good compost. As they are free from any fungus and bacteria and entirely natural, they do the best job in providing nutrition to your plants.
Words to Conclude
We have reached the end of the controversy: Are peanut shells good for compost? We hope that you have got all your answers regarding the topic. To give a boost to your compost pile, add peanut shells from now.