Putting shellfish debris in compost heaps

[Primrose]

We've just had a delicious prawns with garlic lunch but as I don't want to stink my waste bin out for another week before the debris is collected, I've buried them in the middle of my compost heap. Does anybody else dispose of them in this way and will the add any special minerals such as calcium to the compost?

[Jenny Green]

Wow Primrose, do you like stinks and flies?
No matter how deeply buried I think shellfish would be the last thing I would add to my heap.
Please let us know what happens!

[alan refail]

We always put prawn and crab shells in the compost. They don't smell and seem to disappear in a short time. The must add something; whatever it is they won't do any harm.

Alan

[Primrose]

Well, the compost heap is at the bottom of the garden, well away from the house so am not worried about any temporary smells. And yes, there are usually insects buzzing around the heap, especially in warm weather, but also loads of small birds feeding on them to take back to their nestlings (especially blue tits) so I reckon this recycling is probably benefitting the environment more than dumping the prawn shells in the dustbin. I've dumped prawn shells on my heap previously, and as Alan says, they seem to degenerate and disappear pretty quickly.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Primrose, you might even get seabirds visiting now, i think i read somewhere guano is good for the garden.

[Monika]

I know this isn't a direct answer to your question, but we always put fish and meat debris into a dedicated "freezer rubbish" plastic bag into the freezer until the morning of the bin collection and that keeps it sweet smelling till then!

[Jenny Green]

Mmmm. Maybe I'll try it, though my compost bin isn't far from the back door.
I do know that it takes only a day in my normal bin before they 'perfume' the entire house!