Gardening can be both an enjoyable and fulfilling hobby. When it comes to gardening, there’s a variety of plants that you can choose from and depending on the type of garden that you’re working on, you’ll need to invest in different types of seeds. One thing that you might not know is that citrus peels can also be used for your garden! In this article, we’ll share 10 useful ways to utilize citrus peel in the garden!
Use as Seedling Planters
One of the most useful citrus peel uses in the garden is as seedling planters. The peels can be used as mini pots for planting seeds. Once the seeds have germinated, the peels can be planted along with the seedlings. The peels will decompose, providing nutrients for the plants.
Add to the Compost
Adding citrus peels to the compost is a great way to add nutrients to the soil. Citrus peels are high in nitrogen, which is essential for healthy plant growth. They also contain other minerals that can be beneficial to plants, such as calcium and magnesium.
Citrus peels also help to improve the drainage of the soil. They can help to break up clay soils and improve aeration. This can be especially helpful in areas that have a lot of rainfall.
Use As a Slug Repellent
One of the most useful citrus peel uses in the garden is as a slug repellent. Slugs are a common garden pest that can damage plants. Citrus peel is an effective way to keep slugs away from your plants. Simply place citrus peel around the base of your plants. The sharp edges of the peel will deter slugs from crawling onto your plants. You can also place citrus peel on top of soil to keep slugs from burrowing underground.
Acidify the Soil
Citrus peel can be used to acidify the soil. This is especially helpful for plants that need acidic soil to grow. Simply add the peel to the soil around the plant.
Get Rid of Aphids
Aphids are a common garden pest that can damage plants. Citrus peel is a natural way to get rid of them. Simply place citrus peel near affected plants and the aphids will be drawn to it. Once they land on the peel, they will be trapped and will eventually die. This method is safe for both plants and animals.
Make Your Garden Smell Good
One of the orange peel benefits is being a scent-booster.
As you know, citrus fruits like oranges smell really good and can make your garden more appealing by releasing their fragrance when burned in an outdoor fire pit or during any other type of backyard event!
Keep the Pets Away
Citrus peels can be used to keep pets away from certain areas of your garden. The strong scent of citrus is off-putting to many animals, so placing peels around the perimeter of your garden can help to keep them out. You can also place peels inside flower beds or near plants that you want to protect.
Create an Organic Bird Feeder
Bird feeders made with citrus peels are a great way to attract birds to your garden and keep them away from your plants.
To make a bird feeder, simply take a clean citrus peel and cut it into strips. Then, tie the strips onto a piece of string or wire and hang it up in your garden. The birds will love pecking at the juicy citrus peel, and you won’t have to worry about them eating your plants.
Not only is this a great way to attract birds to your garden, but it’s also a great way to recycle citrus peels. Instead of throwing them away, you can use them to create something useful that will benefit your garden.
Keep the Stray Cats Away
Some people find themselves with cats and stray animals entering their garden. You can keep them away in your area by using citrus peels to create an unpleasant smell that cats hate!
Simply throw the orange or lemon wood on any spot you’d like protected, such as around porch rails so they don’t have easy access there either.
Drive Critters Away
You can keep potentially destructive animals away from your garden by making use of lemon rinds. First, grate the peel in order to turn these into grated citrus pulp; then save and freeze all throughout winter months for later planting.
When summer comes, bury these under your garden’s soil to prevent critters from destroying your crops.
