Oyster shells

[Smidge34]

I bought a 50 pound bag of pelletized oyster shells to find a calcium and grit source in greater abundance for my worm bins than the few egg shells I can come up with. I had been grinding my egg shells in a little Mr Coffee mini grinder, but burned it up in less than a minute grinding these oyster shells. So, I went with a bigger, higher priced burr mill. You can only feed a few pellets at a time, as it grinded to a halt trying to grind with a full hopper. I ground up what I needed, but it took some time and I can tell this is gonna smoke this grinder motor sooner rather than later. Anybody have a suggestion? Maybe heat them in the oven like egg shells to make them more brittle?

 

[greasemonkeymann]

uh... please don't take this as me being a smart-ass... but umm
just buy oyster flour my man

 

[Smidge34]

If they sold it anywhere in bumfucked western KY I would, as it's cheap af. I'd rather source my stuff local than ship it in. That's why I grow without kelp, though it kills me. It would be cheap enough to ship, but again, trying to source everything local.

 

[Kygiacomo]

If they sold it anywhere in bumfucked western KY I would, as it's cheap af. I'd rather source my stuff local than ship it in. That's why I grow without kelp, though it kills me. It would be cheap enough to ship, but again, trying to source everything local.

i live in eastern KY and i have to order mine online. it sucks but i make it all back after the 1st bag heads out lol check ur local feed store they should have kelp there. if i had to grow with 1 nutrient then kelp would be it.

 

[Smidge34]

I don't mean to be a smart ass, but I'm asking about grinding oyster shell I already have. Sorry, it's not about making it back for me bro. We have delivery service here too. I can order anything I want from Amazon, but I'm looking to locally source and I haven't found oyster flour, nor in my 46 years of hitting up feed stores raising livestock have I ever ran into a bag of kelp meal. Not saying you can't, but not a big demand in western KY.

 

[Kygiacomo]

I don't mean to be a smart ass, but I'm asking about grinding oyster shell I already have. Sorry, it's not about making it back for me bro. We have delivery service here too. I can order anything I want from Amazon, but I'm looking to locally source and I haven't found oyster flour, nor in my 46 years of hitting up feed stores raising livestock have I ever ran into a bag of kelp meal. Not saying you can't, but not a big demand in western KY.

seems odd bc ever animal store here has kelp meal but there is lots of farm land here to though. ive read about ppl trying to grind up the oyster shells and from the sound of it its alot of work but thats ur choice so gl finding the easiest method mortal and pistal. maybe take a sledge hammer and some sort of bag and get to busting it up then take a blender like u was trying and grind them on up to ur liking

 

[jackAmo]

I've had success with other shell material by running over it with my car a few times. Primitive, yes, but effective. It will definitely make it smaller and easier for your grinder. A food processor is also effective, but it can bang it up pretty badly.

 

[Midwest Weedist]

Seems like you're going to spend more money, by a vast amount, on trying to grind them up instead of buying them floured. I mean if you'd rather spend more just to grind them up yourselves, by all means go for it. But it seems more efficient to me to just order them online, just my .02

 

[Smidge34]

I tried a processor and would have had about as much luck processing a handful of rocks, lol. The burr mill works, but it's pretty slow and tedious. I go to Nashville once a month for work and can source about anything for growing there. Worm's Way, though pricey, is usually good for a pretty big selection, as well as any of 3 dozen other nurseries and larger farm and feed stores.

 

[Kygiacomo]

I tried a processor and would have had about as much luck processing a handful of rocks, lol. The burr mill works, but it's pretty slow and tedious. I go to Nashville once a month for work and can source about anything for growing there. Worm's Way, though pricey, is usually good for a pretty big selection, as well as any of 3 dozen other nurseries and larger farm and feed stores.

worms way is costly as hell. i get alot of cheap things from Ebay with free shipping. i ordered 1 thing from worms way last year and i havent ordered nothing since lol my point with me saying if i had 1 nutrient to choose to grow with is Kelp is that if u cant find it local its one thing that u should buy bc it has so many positives in organic growing,bc i seen u wrote u didnt use it.. i meant no disrespect and i would highly advise that u get some and i guarantee that u will always grow with it.When im looking for something to order i check prices from Ebay,Amazon and even online hydro shops to look for the cheapest possible deal i can get.

 

[Smidge34]

I appreciate the help, but maybe I need to be more specific. I order all kinda of stuff from Amazon, including every piece of my growing equipment -- lights, tent, filter, fan, etc. -- and utilize ordering online on large purchase, especially one-time stuff that can't be locally sources. Believe me, I absolutely know that kelp is a helluva amendment, as I brought it up here to begin with. Would LOVE to source it LOCALLY. To start shipping stuff all over the country when I'm trying my very damndest to do this GREEN and LOCAL, makes about as much sense as trying to turn on a light to find your flashlight in an outage.

Look, I know I can buy anything my heart desires via online and have it shipped to my door, but that was not my question. Thanks for the replies, but I think I'll continue to mill this oyster shell slowly until I can source something different locally.

 

[Smidge34]

So I check out a new smaller nursery center that opened up in my region recently and found 5 pound bags of kelp from MaxiCrop for $15. The lady is supposed to check on bigger sizes for me.

 

[testiclees]

I appreciate the help, but maybe I need to be more specific. I order all kinda of stuff from Amazon, including every piece of my growing equipment -- lights, tent, filter, fan, etc. -- and utilize ordering online on large purchase, especially one-time stuff that can't be locally sources. Believe me, I absolutely know that kelp is a helluva amendment, as I brought it up here to begin with. Would LOVE to source it LOCALLY. To start shipping stuff all over the country when I'm trying my very damndest to do this GREEN and LOCAL, makes about as much sense as trying to turn on a light to find your flashlight in an outage.

Look, I know I can buy anything my heart desires via online and have it shipped to my door, but that was not my question. Thanks for the replies, but I think I'll continue to mill this oyster shell slowly until I can source something different locally.

s34,

If you can purchase the crushed oyster shell that is used for chicken feed locally then you might screen it and just use the fines. the coarse part could go into an outdoor bed.

Ive used the chicken shell in my potting mix for a couple years. Pretty sure my Ca levels are excellent. Ive got soil test results coming in soon.