As we all know, yesterday was National Pistachio Day. Save those pistachio shell hulls. Cathy Isom tells you why you should recycle pistachio shells. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Empty pistachio shells are useful for recycling in several ways. If unsalted, the shells need not be washed and dried before reuse, but washing is simple if that is not the case.
Practical uses include:
- as a fire starter; kindling to be used with crumpled paper;
- to line the bottom of pots containing houseplants for drainage and retention of soil for up to two years;
- as a mulch for shrubs and plants that require acid soils, as a medium for orchids;
- and as an addition to a compost pile designed for wood items that take longer to decompose than leafy materials.
Shells from salted pistachios can also be placed around the base of plants to deter slugs and snails.
Many craft uses for the shells include holiday tree ornaments, jewelry, mosaics and rattles.
Research indicates that pistachio shells may be helpful in cleaning up pollution created by mercury emissions.
I’m Cathy Isom…