Among them, consider leaving the hulls on and letting the nuts dry. When cracked, the hull will become papery and break away upon the first hit of a hammer, leaving a clean shell to crack.

While many species grow wild, homeowners can also enjoy planting and harvesting their own nut crops, including pecans, ...

Lay hulled shells in the sun or a warm, dry place. Crack a few to check kernels for dryness. Dried nuts still in the shell will store for a couple of months in a cool place.

Look for healthy, compact, uniform nuts in off-white whole shells. The shells should be free from imperfections and unbroken or cracked except for the characteristic split.