Can you cope with all sorts of organic waste? What about nut shells? Gardeners use cleverly these remnants. Why and how?
Do not discard the shells. They will come in handy in the garden!
Have you ever noticed that your grandmother or neighbor is hiding shells from nuts? The peeling season is long behind us, but some of them thought in advance and kept the shells for later. You do not have to use only nice halves for various artistic achievements. Scroll shells have many other uses.
What to do with shells will advise you the author of this post from the YouTube channel Chilli Farmer.
Shells like drainage and mulch
In pots, shells can serve as an organic drainage layer. The crushed shells can be poured onto the bottom of the pot, where they help drain excess water, but at the same time they remain wet and can gradually release some of the water to the roots of the plants. Because it is an organic material, over time it breaks down and enriches the soil with much needed nutrients.
If you have a really large number of shells, you could also mulch flower beds. We all others who do not have sets full of walnuts can be used by crushed shells as a mulch at least for plants in pots. The shell layer will help maintain moisture in the soil, suppress weed growth and protect the plant from temperature fluctuations. If you hold the shells to nice neat pieces, which can be handled with a hammer or mallet, you can pour this mulch into any pot.
Natural fertilizer and pest protection
You can also burn walnut shells and get ash rich in potassium and phosphorus. It is an excellent natural fertilizer, which, like a wooden ash, is used to improve the soil and enriching the dressing.
Walnut shells and nut leaves are specific with their scent. Didn’t you notice? They repel some pests and uninvited guests. You may have heard that leaves are used in bedding for hens. It is a natural prevention against the occurrence of bumblebees and other parasites in the chicken coop.
The shells are repeated because they contain a substance that is found mainly in leaves, fruits and bark of the nut. It is Juglon, which repels different insects, not only parasites attacking poultry, but also pests on plants. As a result, mice, voles, ants, cats, slugs and snails avoid crushed shells. They also bothers not only scents, but also sharp edges of shells.
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