How do you recycle walnut shells?

Are you a nut lover? Recycle the shells instead of throwing them away! It's both economical and environmentally friendly.

Walnuts are packed with goodness: rich in vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. Once you've eaten them, don't get rid of their shells! They can be very useful at home or in the garden.

So how do you recycle walnut and hazelnut shells?

6 ways to recycle walnut shells 

Say goodbye to waste, and hello to zero waste! Discover 6 clever ways to reuse walnut and hazelnut shells.

🔥 An eco-friendly firelighter

Walnut shells makeexcellent fuel. Walnut shells are perfect for lighting a fire quickly, whether for a barbecue or a chimney fire in winter. They're a healthy, natural alternative to chemical firelighters. 

Adopt the reverse lighting technique: place the wood first, then add the shells on top. Light them with matches, and you'll see, the fire will catch easily, with little smoke.

🌱 Good drainage for your plants

To drain water from your flower pots, you probably use clay balls. But walnut shells are an effective substitute!

Break the shells into small pieces and place them at the bottom of your pot or planter. They provide excellent drainage: they prevent water from stagnating and root rot.

Once shredded, you can also incorporate them into heavy, compact soil to aerate and drain it.

👩🏻‍🌾 Natural mulch in the garden

In the garden, walnut shells can also be used as mulch. Aesthetic and durable, they represent an interesting alternative to traditional mulches such as straw or wood shavings.

Crush the hulls into small pieces and spread them evenly over the soil. They inhibit weed growth and regulate soil temperature. Note, however, that they retain less moisture than traditional mulches.

⛵ A DIY candle or boat

Keep the walnut shells for creative activities with your kids!  

With a little creativity, walnut shells can be transformed into candles, boats, key rings, hedgehogs... The possibilities are endless!

Here's how to make little boats from walnut shells:

1. Cut out triangle-shaped sails from paper. 
2. Prick the sails on a toothpick
3. Fix the mast in the walnut shell with modelling clay
4. Paint the shell to decorate it
5. Test if your boat floats on water!

🐞 An insect shelter

Here's one last idea for recycling walnut shells: create insect hotels! Insects are an essential part of biodiversity in the garden.

Here are 3 ways to turn walnut shells into insect shelters: 

• Scatter the walnut shells in a quiet area of the garden: spread them out directly on the ground, in a little-frequented corner of your garden. Insects such as ladybugs will take refuge here, especially in winter.
• Place them in insect hotels, alongside other materials such as pine needles, straw, bamboo, etc.
• Gather the shells in a net and hang it from a tree branch. This shelter will attract certain species that prefer higher ground for protection.

♻️ From dry matter to compost

And if not, compost your walnut shells! With their very hard shells, walnut, hazelnut and almond shells are very slow to decompose. However, by creating air pockets, they structure and aerate the compost. They bring essential dry matter to the compost.

To facilitate their decomposition, you can crush them into small pieces before adding them to the compost.

👉 To make the most of your waste, think about composting! Discover our range of composters compact and stylish.