Pistachio Shells Are Not Just Waste

Nuts like pistachios and raw almonds are a highly nutritious and tasty snack. If you find them to be more than a little moreish, you’re likely to have bowlfuls of empty little shells lying around your home. But doesn’t it seem a shame to throw them all away once the nut meat has been removed? Here’s just a few useful and fun ways you can use the shells of pistachios and other nuts.

Plant Drainage
 Pistachio shells are a hard material with a high surface area, which makes them perfect for using for plant drainage. Make sure you rinse well of any salt, then place in the bottom of your plant pot before adding soil. Pistachio shells will provide the correct amount of drainage to keep your plants healthy and growing in optimal soil conditions.

Clean Your Tools
When ground up, pistachio shells have a coarse, gritty texture which makes them ideal for cleaning. While they may be a little harsh for exfoliating your skin, ground pistachio shells are a great way of removing dirt or dried on mud from gardening tools. Break up the shells using a hammer, then use a coffee grinder to grind them up further. A generous handful added to your usual soap or tool cleaner helps to scrub away at caked-on dirt, leaving them clean and shiny.

Mulch
Whole or ground pistachio or nut shells make very effective mulch. Wash to remove any salt, then place around the base of plants to retain soil moisture and repress the growth of weeds. More finely ground up shells can be placed in the cracks between garden slabs to stop weeds from springing up on patios. I really like using pistachio shells for mulching or in potting mixes. Have had no problems with them breaking down, though they take a little longer because of the high C ratio.

Smoking Meat
Nut shells are rich in oils, which makes them naturally smokey when they burn. Throw a handful on a barbeque grill or in your usual smoker to add delicious flavour to your meat.

Compost
If none of these ideas appeal to you, you can always add your used nut shells to your compost heap, rather than throwing them away. Remember to rinse off any salt which can contaminate soil and kill plants. Nut shells are hard and could take years to fully break down, but mix well into your compost heap and you’ll find they eventually re pay you by contributing to a fine mix of nutrient-rich compost to use around the garden.

If you are looking for the perfect citrus for yourself or as a gift for a business associates, your family or friends? A quick visit to sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.

Presented By:
Sunburst Oranges
180 South “E” Street
Porterville, CA  93257
559-561-3391