As you know, orange is one of the fruits that are preferred by many people. After using to make tasty drinks or delicious dishes, you still can take advantage of orange peels for your organic garden! So in the post today, we’ve listed 10 uses of orange peel in the garden that not everyone knows. If you are interested, let’s check them out with us!
The simple reason, it contains high nitrogen and other nutrients that can give your leafy plants a quick boost, so you can use them to make organic fertilizer. Or you can use them as traps to catch hated slugs from your garden. Even, you can use orange peels as a natural insecticide to repel some pests such as aphids and ants, and more That is the reason why don’t throw leftover orange peels, they can serve some great uses for your plants! From now, instead of putting them in the trash, let place them in your garden and watch the benefits that they can bring to.
#1 Compost
When composting citrus you want to make sure to keep the pile warm to hot. As an added bonus, citrus peels also protect the compost from scavengers and some pests as many of them dislike the smell.
#2 Repel Pests
Orange peels contain a chemical called d-Limonene which is an all-natural insecticide. It damages the nervous systems of pests such as aphids and ants, killing them. So, you can place peels around plants that have pest problems or you can make a spray. Make your own spray by boiling half a cup of peels in water for ten minutes then strain out the peels. Add this liquid to a spray bottle and spray your plants once a week.
#3 Keeping Out Pet
If you don’t want your dog or cats going near your plants, shred up your peels and sprinkle them on the top of the garden or containers
#4 Keep Away Sand Flies and Mosquitoes
You can use the plant bug repellent recipe above to spray on yourself to keep away the sandflies and mosquitoes while you are working in the garden. Or you can rub fresh skins on your arms, or leave them around your patio to keep them away as well.
#5 Fertilizer
Orange peels contain high in nitrogen and other nutrients that can give your leafy plants a quick boost. Cut them up finely and sprinkle them on the top of the soil.
#6 Light The Fire Pit
Orange peels make a great fire starter! Dry the peels until they are crispy – either in the sun, a slow oven or dehydrator and store them in an airtight jar. Add a handful to the fire and light it, the oils are flammable and should catch light easily. (As a bonus then citrus smoke helps keep those mozzies away.)
#7 Keep Off The Ticks
Ticks are one of the animals that don’t like the smell of orange peels. To remove them, you can sprinkle the orange peels around to repel the ticks from your garden.
#8 Catch Slugs
It is a great way to repel hated slugs from your garden. Simply place orange peels upside down on the top of the soil in the garden for a few days. The slugs will use it as a hiding spot as they are moist and dark. Then all you have to do is go and pick them up and throw them to the chickens or put them in a bowl of boiling water.
#9 Seedling Pots
Citrus peel halves make great little seedling pots. Cut the very bottom off so it sits flat, fill them with seed raising mix and place them in a sunny spot. When it is time to transplant, you can bury the whole thing, and peel included.
#10 Acidify The Soil
Lemon and orange peels can be used to acidify the soil for plants like azaleas. Just dry the citrus peels and grind them into a powder. Sprinkle this on the top of the soil and mix it in the first inch or so. It is a great and all-natural way to increase the acidity of the soil. The amount of pH change depends on the amount of citrus peel powder you use.
