Peanut Shells Are An Easy Solution For Easy-To-Carry Houseplants

While there are a lot of ways to add a new look to a room, one of the simplest may be just to rearrange your houseplants. You may be surprised how big a difference just a few swaps can make. However, it can be challenging to casually rearrange your plants if they're all extremely heavy. If you regularly revamp your houseplant layout or bring your plants outside to enjoy the summer, you may want to fill some of the empty space in large planters to make them easier to carry. One of the best things to use for this is peanut shells.

You might normally think of peanut shells as just garbage after you've eaten the tasty snack they contain. They're far from it, though. Not only can they be added to compost bins or used as mulch, but they're also perfect for adding to the bottom of large planters, so you don't need to use as much heavy and expensive potting mix. You can also mix them right into the potting soil in a ratio of about 2 parts potting mix to 1 part peanut shells. If you have a good climate for growing peanuts, you could even grow your own!

If you're just using peanut shells to fill up the extra space in the bottom of a large planter, there's likely no need to crush the shells first, as larger pieces will better fill the space. But if you want to mix the shells in with your potting mix, you may want to lightly crush them first so they mix in better. Mixing the peanut shells into your potting mix may also help to benefit your plants, as it makes the medium less compacted. A fluffier growing medium can make it easier for the plant's roots to thrive and grow.

There are a few things to keep in mind before adding your shells to your potted plants. One is whether or not they were salted. While salted peanuts are tasty, you don't want to add salt to your potting mix as it could damage your plants. This could end up being an especially costly mistake when filling a large garden planter. The other, even more important, consideration is whether anyone who might come in contact with your plants has a peanut allergy. Given how dangerous these allergies can be, it may be best to avoid using peanuts in your planters if you have any friends or family with severe allergies to peanuts. Instead, opt for using something like pine cones when filling your planters.