Stop Tossing Pistachio Shells When There Are 9 Amazing Ways To Repurpose Them

A favorite snacking treat packed with fiber, antioxidants, and other nutrients, pistachios are said to do everything from aid in weight loss to improve gut health to help with blood pressure. And while it's true that pistachios can be considered a miracle food, one big downside is how messy eating these nuts can be. Similarly to sunflower seeds, a small bowl of pistachios can produce an absurd number of shells, and to the naïve snacker, these shells are merely a mess to clean up and discard. But, to the keen DIYer and upcycling expert, the shells have many uses besides being leftover scraps.

Repurposing pistachio shells around the home and in your garden isn't as much of a stretch as you think. In fact, there are many versatile uses for the discarded shell, some of which are so simple that you won't believe you didn't know it sooner. Pistachio shells possess quite a few properties that make them useful, among them their porous, wood-like nature, their shape, and their rigidity. From offering natural pest control to providing the building blocks of a beautifully scented, homemade potpourri, don't underestimate the shell around the tasty nut. 

While it may be difficult to save up enough pistachio shells to fill a large flower bed of pistachio mulch, it's possible to stockpile enough to fill a smaller patio for this organic mulch idea. Like regular mulch, pistachio shells help maintain optimal soil moisture levels, as well as act as a weed mat. A major upside to these shells as an alternative to traditional mulch is that it may not give off the same odor, too. With a less harsh smell and a beautiful color, pistachio shells can be a great natural DIY mulch option.

This may be one of the biggest flexes you can possibly do as a host — make a homemade, infused pistachio shell potpourri! Many of these repurposing tricks are based on the porous nature of the shells themselves, and with this DIY, you'll want to use your favorite oil-based scents on the shells, which will absorb the fragrance. Once you've let the oil sit on the shells for a few hours, proceed to mix it in with other elements you want to add, like dried flowers, then transfer it all into your favorite decorative dish.

You can DIY unique wall art using pistachio shells, the unsuspecting craft item from your kitchen pantry. Glue the shells onto a canvas in whatever patterns or pictures suit your décor aesthetic — you can try flowers and leaves, seashells, or anything of the sort that the pistachio shell shape is suited to. Supplement the shells with other textured details with crafting materials like burlap, twine, wood, or paint. The result is a beautiful, organic, and three-dimensional piece of artwork that successfully repurposed something that would otherwise be considered trash. 

Pistachio shells are quite hardy and don't break down too easily, particularly if you keep the shells whole. Use this to your advantage by filling any deep pots with these shells as a pot filler before depositing soil on top. This is a great hack for saving on gardening soil and is a less-heavy alternative to using filling stones or pebbles, so you can actually move the pots around — just be sure to plant things that don't grow extensive, deep root systems as the shells may get in the way. 

Pistachio shells share quite a few characteristics with wood, and if used correctly, they can serve as kindling in the fireplace or for an outdoor bonfire. Couple the shells with some bits of paper to catch light, then feed the fire with wood and other fuel as you would normally. This is a great way to use all parts of the nuts, particularly if you're snacking on pistachios while camping and want to be responsible about disposal and/or not attract any other critters from nearby.

Pistachio shells are among a number of various kitchen scraps that can rid your garden of snails or slugs. You may have seen this hack with eggshells, which effectively serves the same purpose. Place them at the base of your plants as a barrier against unwanted slimy friends. The shells' sharp edges and unevenness deter anything that glides as a way of transport, including slugs and snails. Be wary, though; avoid using salted pistachio shells since the added salt may actually damage your plants, so remember to rinse those off before use.

To prevent your potted plants from getting overwatered, use pistachio shells as a built-in drainage system. Like with the plant filler hack, place about an inch of shells at the bottom of the pot before planting as normal. The shells will replace the function of drainage pebbles or stones and allow excess moisture to drain out of the soil and onto the shells. Pistachio shells will also eventually compost in the pot as well, contributing some nutrients to your plants in the (very) long run.

Despite their dense nature (and longer compost times), pistachio shells are quite porous, and when dropped in water, they absorb toxins and pollutants. Research suggests that pistachio shells can even function as activated carbon in a sense, drawing out water impurities. This is wonderfully useful for outdoor garden features to help maintain their overall cleanliness and keep the water relatively filtered. While this hack won't completely replace a mechanical water filtration system, and you may not want to rely on it to drink from your fountains, it can keep some of that gross contamination at bay.

Pistachio shells' rough edges aren't just helpful at keeping unwanted pests away, but they can also help aerate your soil. If you find your soil is dense, even clay-like, pistachio shells can create pockets of air for your soil to breathe when pushed into the soil. This, in turn, helps propagate growth in your garden since the soil is primed to absorb nutrients and promote good root health. While there are many fancy tools out there to aerate your lawn for healthier grass or to improve your garden's soil, the answer could be as simple as pistachio shells.