Citrus peels may be the solution to a gardener’s worst nightmare: Going outside to tend to the beautiful abundance of produce in the garden to find an infestation of hungry pests snacking and wreaking havoc on your crops. Many natural remedies allow gardeners to fend off pests without using toxic pesticides. One of those remedies is likely already in your fruit bowl: citrus peels.
Fruitful Produce Pest Repellent
Many food scraps can be added to your garden soil, but citrus peels are uniquely beneficial when creating a healthy and fruitful garden. There are over 600 types of citrus in the world, but all varieties are hybrids of three original, naturally occurring fruits: citron, pomelo, and mandarin. Some citrus fruits that are commonly found in American kitchens include lemons, limes, oranges, clementines, and grapefruit.
Many insects are deterred by citrus scents, making citrus peels a popular addition to garden soil and compost. Citrus fruits have unique scents because they contain a natural compound called limonene. The scent of these fruits can repel many pests that love to snack on the crops you spent hours tending including ants, slugs, and aphids.
Citrus Peel Preparation and Use
There are a few ways to prepare citrus peels for use in your garden:
- Chop peels into small pieces and scatter them around the bases of your plants. Citrus peels take a long time to break down, so chopping the peels up is vital. Be mindful of other creatures that live around your garden, because the peels may inadvertently attract unwanted guests like deer.
- Dry out peels and grind into a find powder. Sprinkle the powder around the bases of your plants. This eliminates the concern of attracting unwelcome wildlife.
- Boil chopped up peels in hot water with a small amount of dish soap and apply the solution to the bases of your plants as needed.
Citrus-scented Plants
Some plants naturally give off a citrus-like scent and can be used to repel insects. This is why the oil from the citronella plant is used in candles and bug sprays. Lemon balm also naturally repels mosquitos and is also used in tea and cooking. These plants are not related to citrus fruits or the trees that produce them, but they provide the same bug-repellent benefits as citrus peels. Both plants are hearty, evergreen perennials that require little maintenance, making them a popular outdoor plant.
Fun fact: Citronella and lemon balm have been used as natural insect repellents for centuries.
Final Thoughts
Citrus peels may not be a flawless bug repellent, but they are certainly full of beneficial vitamins and nutrients that will help your garden thrive. Be sure to welcome beneficial bugs into your garden to fight off even more pests.
