How can I reuse or recycle pistachio shells?
Oh lovely pistachio nuts. How sweet and salty your squishy insides are. How tough and protective your hard outsides are.
We’ve got a whole bowlful of the pistachio nut shells with no idea what to do with them.
We’re reluctant to just throw them on the compost heap because it seems such a waste to just ask them to rot down again (and they’ll probably take ages anyway) but that’s a last resort I guess.
Any ideas?
Best Suggestions
- Reuse – Practical: Use them at the bottom of plant pots to help drainage.
- Reuse – Creative: They can be made into rattles (in an old tin can or cardboard tube depending on how loud you want it) or instead of seashells wind chimes.
- Recycle: Smash them up a bit and spread them around the garden – to start with, the sharp edges will deter slugs and snails and eventually the shells will break down into compost and feed your soil.
- See the comments below for more suggestions and ideas
yeah, throw them in a wood burning stove or fireplace. they are high in oils that actually react with the creosote in the chimney and will cause it to flake off thus preventing chimney fires while heating your house. due to the oil, they give off a lot more than their weight in wood (celulose). If you put one in a paper clip and light it you will see ‘jets of fire’ branching out of where it is burning; this is the oil vaporizing and igniting when it comes in contact with oxygen.