15 Practical Citrus Peel Uses in the Garden

Citrus Peel Uses

You would be surprised to know that there is a myriad of citrus peel uses in the garden. So instead of tossing these out, bring the peels to your garden. The peels can help your plants to grow healthy in so many ways.

Many households consume citrus fruits every single day, from lemons to oranges and grapefruit. When eating these fruits, their skins often end up in the trash. But what people didn’t know is that the peels are actually useful in the garden. Most people would throw the peels in the trash since they did not know that it can actually save them some cash. For instance, instead of buying commercial fertilizers to nourish the soil in your garden, you can use citrus peels. That’s because the rinds contain calcium, copper, and other trace elements that can be absorbed by the soil and passed on to your plants!

If you are wondering how else you can benefit from the citrus peels, here’s a list of the citrus peel uses in the garden.

1. Use as Seedling Planters

Citrus Peel Uses

Image Credit: Balcony Garden Web

Instead of throwing away those lemon rinds, why don’t you reuse them into seedling planters? Use your creativity in turning those peels into planters. Clean out half of the lemon peel and create a small hole at the bottom for drainage. Fill it with dirt and you can start planting the seed. This will certainly make for a cute addition to the windowsill in your kitchen.

2. Add to the Compost

Citrus Peel Uses

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Most gardeners know the importance of having a compost pit. Compost serves as a natural fertilizer that helps create a healthy environment for the plants. Citrus fruit peels can be added to your usual compost pit. These peels decay wonderfully that will help provide beneficial nutrients to your soil. You can cut the peels into smaller parts first before adding them to the compost since they may decay a bit longer.

3. Use As a Slug Repellent

Orange Peel Uses

Image Credit: Garden Gate Magazine

Oranges and lemons are known to be effective repellents against slugs. So instead of discarding their skins, arrange them around your garden. These will keep the slugs away from the area and will prevent them from destroying your plants. Buckets can be stationed in the garden’s outer edges where you can conveniently drop the citrus peels after you have consumed them.

4. Acidify the Soil

Lemon Peel Uses

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Some plants like azaleas like acidic soil. One of the lemon peel uses in the garden is to acidify the soil for plants that crave acidic soil. Dry the citrus peels and slowly grind them until it becomes powdered. You can then sprinkle this on the soil’s topmost portion and mix it. The acidity of the soil depends on the amount of the peel powder you apply. This procedure also provides additional nutrients to the soil.

5. Get Rid of Aphids

Citrus Peels in the Garden

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Aphids are harmful to the garden as they eat away plant parts that can result in discoloration, deformation, and unsightly holes. But you can prevent aphids from ruining your greenery with the use of orange peels. Take a bunch of orange peels, create a narrow slit onto it, and apply it directly to the plant you want to protect. You can also place it in a spray bottle mixed with hot water.

Also Read: 31 Pest Repelling Plants For Your Garden

6. Protect Your Plants From Ants

Citrus Peels in the Garden

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Ants may seem harmless but they pose a risk to your garden. These tiny creatures encourage the growth of aphids by protecting them from predators like ladybugs to maintain a supply of honeydew. They also disturb the soil surrounding the roots of the plants thereby causing damage to it. Thus, one of the uses of citrus peels in the garden is to drive these pesky insects away! The oil in lemons, oranges, grapefruits, and other citrus fruits is toxic to ants so it will kill them upon contact.

7. Keep the Stray Cats Away

Orange Peel Uses

Image Credit: Gardening Know How

Some people experience the troubles of stray cats entering and destroying their gardens. You can keep them away in your area with the use of citrus peels. Cats hate the smell of citrus and will most likely avoid anything that smells like citrus. You can throw orange or lemon peels on the ground, have them lined up on the porch, or place it in any spot you’d like to protect.

8. Enrich Soil Nutrients

Orange Peel Uses

Image Credit: Worm Composting

One of the most significant citrus peel uses is in enriching the nutrients of the soil. Citrus peels possess several nutrients such as sulfur, calcium, and magnesium. Next time, don’t throw your citrus waste and make good use of it by adding it to your soil. All you have to do is to dry off some of the citrus peels and blend them together until it becomes powdered. Then, stir this citrus powder into your soil and slowly see the improvement in your soil’s condition.

9. Attract Butterflies

Citrus Peel Uses

Image Credit: Ilona’s Garden

Butterflies are good pollinators. They are important in the ecosystem as they help promote the pollination process that will in turn reproduce more plants. Make them visit your garden by leaving peels of citrus fruits in a shallow dish. These butterflies will consume the sweet juices that are left on the peels. Aside from being a delight to the eyes, they help beautify your garden by adding some color and enhancing the appearance of your plants.

10. Make Your Garden Smell Good

Citrus Peel Uses

Image Credit: Garden Collage

One of the orange peel benefits is being a scent-booster. As you know, citrus fruits like oranges smell really good. If you’ve got a fire pit in your lawn or gardening area, you can improve the ambiance by making it smell good with the use of citrus peels. Simply throw away citrus peels on your fire pit every time you light it up. As these peels burn, they release an incredibly refreshing scent that will make your garden more appealing.

Also Read: 15 Uses of Wood Ash in The Garden

11. Keep the Pets Away

Citrus Peel Uses

Image Credit: Gardening Know How

Pets are a loving part of most people’s homes. But when left unmonitored, they can go off and visit your garden and can even damage some plants. If you wish to keep your pets away from the garden, citrus peels can be helpful. Combine small pieces of citrus peels with coffee grounds and spread the mixture around the plants. This combination of citrus and coffee will also help fertilize the plants.

12. Repel Ticks and Pests

Citrus Peel Uses

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Instead of using chemical pesticides, you can opt for a more natural way of driving the pests and ticks away, which is to use an orange peel pesticide. If you have observed your plants to be affected by these organisms, try repelling them with the use of citrus peels. Tear the peels into smaller pieces then place them around the plant, attach them to a nearby stem, or convert it into a spray. This method is advantageous as it is safe, organic, and natural.

Here are the best natural pesticides for your houseplants.

13. Use as Natural Mosquito Repellent

Citrus Peel Uses

Image Credit: Good Housekeeping

Mosquitoes do not like the smell of lemons, oranges, and other citrus fruits. If you’re affected by mosquito bites while doing some garden work, you can get rid of them by using citrus peels. Simply rub the juices of the peels onto your exposed skin. You can also place them around the garden to prevent mosquitoes from further interfering with your gardening time.

14. Drive Critters Away

Citrus Peel Uses

Image Credit: New Idea Food

Keep potentially destructive animals away from your garden by making use of lemon peels. First, you’ll have to grate the lemon peels in order to turn them into lemon rinds. Then save these lemon rinds and freeze them all throughout winter. Lastly, bury these under your garden’s soil during the summer. It will prevent squirrels, cats, and other animals from digging around your garden.

Also Read: How To Use Banana Peels In Your Garden

15. Create an Organic Bird Feeder

Citrus Peel Uses

Image Credit: Tree Hugger

Birds are an indication of a healthy environment. They are good pollinators and also help stop weeds from taking over the plants. If you wish to have birds stop by your garden, you can create and provide your own customized bird feeder made of citrus peels. Cut the peels in halves, tie a string or a yarn to its ends, and then place some bird seeds.

Final Thoughts

Citrus fruits and juices have a wide variety of uses in our daily life. But as you can see above, even their peels are useful too. In fact, the citrus peel uses are not only limited to the garden. You can also use the peels in your kitchen for sanitizing cutting boards and disinfecting the sink. In addition, the citrus peels are also good for your skin. They can cleanse your skin by removing dust and dirt. So the next time you peel off your favorite citrus fruits, think about this list. Instead of throwing the peels, save them instead and put them to good use.

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