Are Citrus Peels Good For Your Garden

Don't toss those orange peels! Check out these 6 Creative Ways to Use Orange Peels in Your Garden and see how valuable those peels can really be.

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6 Creative Ways to Use Orange Peels in Your Garden
One of the things I love most about gardening is I can use so many household items and scraps to make my garden shine.

Gardens thrive off of the items we may otherwise be inclined to throw away, making them even more frugal and affordable to enjoy.

Orange peels are no exception when it comes to household scraps you can use in your garden.

Take a look below at 6 Creative Ways to Use Orange Peels in Your Garden, and you might never throw a peel away again!

Here are some creative ways to use orange peels to get you started.

6 Creative Ways to Use Orange Peels in Your Garden
Before we begin, let's chat about what kind of orange peels you should use. Ideally you want to use orange peels that have not been treated by or exposed to any chemicals.

It doesn't hurt to rinse your peels prior to use, but chances are you may rinse them anyways before you eat the inside fruit.

Otherwise, you can use all varieties of orange peels for these projects. You don't have to use a certain type of orange, so no worries there.

1. Make your own biting bug and insect repellent.
If mosquitoes and other biting bugs are an issue, orange peels can help.

You can place orange peels around the garden while you work to keep these insects away, or just try rubbing an orange peel on your clothing.

Some of the pests that orange peels can help repel include: aphids, slugs, mosquitoes, and biting flies.

How to make your own bug repelling luminary: If you are feeling fancy, fill a mason jar with orange peels and water. Add a floating votive.

As the water gently heats the orange peel oils will give off a scent that repels biting pests. This is a pretty and practical way to decorate your picnic table and patio.

RELATED: Do spiders give you the creeps? See how to make your own DIY Spider Repellent using essential oils. Just a little spray is sure to help keep those creepy crawlies far away!

2. Add some acidity to your soil.
Some plants thrive off of acidic soil. If you are planting a perennial that needs acidity in the soil, orange peels may be able to help.

You can always add some shredded orange peels into the hole prior to planting. So, how do you know if your plant likes acidic soil? It is always best to read the instructions tag prior to planting.

If there is no tag, be sure to ask a gardening center employee or head to a trusted gardening website to find out.

3. Keep aphids at bay.
Aphids may be tiny, but they can destroy your plants in no time.

Orange peels can help keep aphids away and protect your plants when you use them in a natural pest repelling spray.

Just add the peels to a spray bottle and fill with hot water. Shake well, then allow the mixture to cool thoroughly.

You can then spray the mixture wherever aphids are present. It is safe on plants and a more natural, chemical free way to repel bugs.

4. Make your own budget friendly fertilizer.
Did you know that orange peels are chock full of nitrogen? Nitrogen is essential to good fertilizer.

When your soil needs a boost, you can add in ground up orange peels.

The peels will release the nitrogen and the result is nutrient rich soil your plants will love.

Find my easy tutorial for How to Make Orange Peel Fertilizer here!

5. Keep furry critters out of your garden.
Did you know that dogs and cats dislike the smell of citrus? They sure do.

If you have problems with furry critters coming into your garden, citrus peels can help.

Place orange peels around the perimeter of the garden and the scent should keep dogs and cats from wandering in.

You can even try placing orange peels in areas where animals tend to dig as the scent may be enough to discourage them from the act.

RELATED: Are pests a problem? Check out how to repel garden pests using Irish Spring soap and say goodbye to mice, chipmunks, and deer bothering your plants.

6. Give your compost pile a boost.
Compost is one of the easiest and cheapest way to keep your plants nourished.

Start saving your kitchen scraps such as egg shells, orange peels, vegetable peels, and even junk mail so you can shred them and add them to your compost pile.

These kitchen scraps contain nutrients that will blend together and break down into what gardeners call "black gold" soil, a nutritious soil that will give your plants a tremendous boost.

RELATED: Are you limited on space? See how to make a mini compost bin plus learn what to put into your compost!


So there you have it, 6 Creative Ways to Use Orange Peels in Your Garden! As you can see all of these ways to use orange peels are quite simple and can be quite effective.

Using orange peels in your garden can save you money, time, and trips to the gardening center as well.

So the next time you treat yourself to an orange, don't toss those peels.

Save them in a baggie so you can give one (or all!) of these gardening tricks a try!

Do you love to garden? See what other gardening content we have been working on:

Ways to Use Egg Shells in the Garden
See how egg shells can make a huge difference in your garden when it comes to feeding your plants and keeping pests like slugs away!

How to Use Worm Castings in the Garden
Worm castings can benefit your plants in many ways and should be considered when planting a garden.

See how to use worm castings and get amazing results.

Are Citrus Peels Good For Your Garden

Source: https://thehomespunhydrangea.com/6-creative-ways-to-use-orange-peels-in-your-garden/

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