Orange peel insect repellent
Using orange peel to deter pests for good
(Image credit: GettyImages)
Oranges are well-known for offering a healthy boost of vitamin C, but their goodness extends far beyond the human body. Experts recommend putting this fruity favorite (or rather, the remains of this fruit) to good use in the garden – where you can use your leftover orange peel to keep pests at bay.
This garden idea may appear unconventional, but it is an effective way to maintain your exteriors this springtime (and beyond) – and it has it's approved by those in the know. This is how to use orange peel to deter pests, for good.
Why do orange peels deter pests?
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According to chef and garden expert Laura Ritterman, pests are repelled by the smell of citrus that lives on your leftover peel. However, its benefits don't end there.
'Orange peels are great for your garden, as they can help to add nutrients to your soil – aiding in the growth and maintenance of your plants,' Laura explains. This kitchen garden idea will deter pests and improve your soil's health at the same time – but where should you begin?
How to use orange peel to deter pests
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Expert Kevin Rodrigues from Gardening Mentor suggests there are two key ways to bring orange peel into your garden: using a spray or placing chopped-up orange peels near your plants.
1. Use orange peel spray on your plants
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'One of the best ways to use orange peels to deter pests is to create a spray,' Kevin says. The gardener recommends boiling a few orange peels in a cup of water for ten minutes, then straining the liquid into a spray bottle (such as this one from Amazon ) once cool.
'Spray this every 3-4 days to get rid of pests like slugs, aphids, ants, whiteflies, and fruit flies – and to keep them away,' Kevin says. This option also works equally well indoors, so you can protect your best indoor trees around your home too.
2. Use chopped up orange peels near your plants
(Image credit: GettyImages)
Alternatively, you can chop up (or grind) your orange peels into small pieces. 'Spread these pieces or scrapes near the base of the plants. The pungent smell of orange peels can help deter some pests and rodents away from the plants,' Kevin explains.
However, Kevin urges you to ask fast and ensure you cut when the pieces are still fresh. 'You need to replace them once they have dried out,' the expert adds.
Gardener Josh Tesolin of RusticWise also urges you to ensure you're placing only the peels and not the orange flesh, as this could have the reverse effect. 'The sugars and juices from orange flesh may actually attract some backyard insects,' Josh warns.
It's time to think twice before throwing away your orange peel, but remember, with this tip, the timing is key.
Megan is the News and Trends Editor at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes.
As the News Editor, she often focuses on emerging microtrends, sleep and wellbeing stories, and celebrity-focused pieces. Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US while studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site. She currently lives in London with her antique typewriter and an expansive collection of houseplants.
Ways to Use Orange Peels in 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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Do orange peels help your garden?
They sure can.
Orange peels contain nutrients that can help feed your soil when added to compost or the soil in general.
Orange peels also offer natural pest repelling properties which can also keep your plants and you protected.
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.
Do orange peels repel pests?They certainly do. While orange peels smell amazing to us, bugs don’t care for their scent. Orange peels can help keep biting bugs away thanks to their fragrant citrus oils.
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!
Do orange peels add acid to your soil?Yes. Orange peels can be dried and grounded and used to enrich your soil. The same effect can be obtained by adding orange peels to your compost.
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!
You can also find some helpful info when you check out ways to use lemons in your garden.
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! Then be sure to check out my tips on How to Grow a Garden for FREE.
Do you love to garden? See what other gardening content we have been working on:
17 Tips for Growing Hydrangeas in Your Yard
Best Ways to Get Rid of Flies in Your Backyard
How to Repel Stink Bugs with Essential Oils
How to Plant Daffodil Bulbs and Care for Them
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.
Orange peels - benefits for the garden and garden, features of use in the country
Cooking and cosmetology are not the only areas where orange peel is successfully used.
In horticulture and horticulture, this food waste is becoming more and more famous due to its invaluable properties.
Some summer residents doubt whether it is worth using orange peels in the garden, whether it is too troublesome, whether it will give the expected effect. Meanwhile, such a folk remedy may well be on a par with onions and garlic in terms of versatility and useful qualities. And in terms of nutritional value, it is not inferior to mineral supplements. nine0003
Orange peels - benefits and harms
Orange peel contains more vitamins A, C, E than its pulp, rich in essential oils, flavonoids (vegetable pigments) and pectin substances. It contains a lot of potassium and phosphorus, which are vital for plants, as well as sodium, which is involved in cellular metabolism and increases the winter hardiness of plants. A real storehouse of usefulness, which should not be thrown into the trash!
The peels can be used fresh or dried, in the form of infusions and crushed substances.
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We have figured out what orange peels are good for. As for the harm: for the soil and plants, the use of zest in reasonable quantities is absolutely safe. But remember, any citrus fruits acidify the soil, which can adversely affect the soil microflora. Although there has been one amazing experiment in history. On the territory of Guanacaste , one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 12 tons of orange peels were unloaded, which were left over from the production of juice. In total, they covered 3 hectares of low-fertility soil. nine0003
After a while the soil "came to life", grass appeared on it. And after 15 years, the entire territory was densely overgrown with greenery, which became a real sensation! Therefore, the use of orange peels to restore and nourish the soil is fully justified. But this is not their only ability.
Now let's take a closer look at how you can use orange peels in the country.
Orange peels as fertilizer
Most often, orange peel is used to feed plants and improve soil fertility.
To do this, it is buried in the ground, like banana skins, to a depth of 5 cm. The crust saturates the soil with nitrogenous compounds and improves plant germination. nine0003
If you throw away citrus peels, then only in compost! Here it will bring a double benefit: it will become a breeding ground for microflora and scare away from a bunch of insects. To make the peel decompose faster, wash it and finely chop it.
Store-bought oranges are coated with special antimicrobial agents, so that even in compost, mold will not appear on the peels. Before entering the soil, these substances will completely decompose and will not cause any harm.
Orange peel infusion for pest control
Orange peel is a deadly poison for some pests. And all thanks to the content of a special substance in it - limonene , which violates the protective coating of insects and leads to their death.
If plants are infested with spider mites, thrips, aphids, spray plantings with orange peel infusion.
To do this, peel 2-3 oranges, chop the peel and pour 1 liter of warm water. Insist in a dark place for a week. Then strain, add 2 liters of water and 1 tbsp. liquid soap. Handle the leaves on both sides. nine0003
Thrips and aphids require 2-3, spider mites 5-6 treatments with a weekly interval between sprays. Houseplants can be wiped with a cloth soaked in the infusion.
And here are some more useful pest control recipes:
- Pour 100 g of dried peels into 1 liter of water and let it brew in a dark place for 3-4 days; spray the plants without diluting the infusion with water;
- Soak 1 kg crusts briefly in water, then mince; put the mixture in a three-liter jar and fill with warm water. Let it brew for 5 days in a dark place, strain. To use, dilute 100 ml of infusion in 10 liters of water and add 40 g of soap. nine0048
Orange peel in the garden to repel ants and cats
Orange peel is an excellent natural repellant that will help repel harmful insects.
It is especially effective in the fight against ants. To do this, completely chop three medium fruits in a blender, add one glass of water and pour the ant paths with the resulting slurry. You can water the anthill with such a composition. After a while, the insects will be forced to leave for a more suitable place. The only disadvantage of this method: fragility. Therefore, it is worth thinking about additional protection against ants. nine0003
Cats do not like strong smells, so orange peels can also be used to scare away the local furry fauna. Lay wet peel on the beds or dig in places where you most often see cats. Such a remedy is also effective: brew the crusts in boiling water and pour all the beds along the perimeter with the resulting water.
Orange peel can also be replaced with essential citrus oil in this case.
It turns out that orange peel can not only repel harmful insects and cats, but also attract butterflies. Put fresh peels on a plate and take them out into the garden.
An amazing spectacle of dozens of fluttering butterflies awaits you soon! nine0003
Fresh oranges can also be cut to attract butterflies.
How to use orange peels in your summer house
Before the summer season begins, orange peels can be used to light a fire in the stove or fireplace. They burn easily and for a long time, filling the room with a pleasant aroma. To make your home cozier, spread peels in all rooms. This will remove the musty smell that always appears after a long absence of tenants.
Do you want to sit on the veranda in the evening, but mosquitoes and midges do not give you rest? Rub exposed body parts with fresh orange peels and insects won't bother you! nine0003
Do not rub orange peel on your skin if you are allergic to citrus fruits.
To make your cottage or bathroom smell pleasant, prepare an inexpensive and safe air freshener. To do this, you will need peels from two oranges, 1 tbsp each.
vanilla and ground cloves, 2 tbsp. vinegar, 2-3 cinnamon sticks. Pour all the ingredients in 1.5 liters of water and bring to a boil. Then simmer until fragrant. Cool the resulting mixture and pour into small bowls.
How to prepare an orange peel
Oranges are sold in stores throughout the year, but traditionally the peak of their consumption is autumn-winter. Therefore, you can start collecting the peel already at this time. It is important to dry the crusts properly. An oven or a dryer for vegetables and fruits is suitable for this. The easiest, but also the longest way is to put the peels on a sheet of paper and place them near the battery.
Store dried peels in a glass jar, paper bag or carton. Already in the spring you can apply part of the zest. Grind the crusts in a blender and sprinkle over the soil to feed it after the winter. nine0003
Orange peels for the garden will be indispensable helpers. Start collecting them right now. But do not forget about other citrus fruits: tangerines, lemons, grapefruits, which also have properties that are beneficial for plants and soil.
Horticultural uses of orange peels
Orange peels are successfully used by gardeners around the world, and for good reason. Orange peel has a lot of useful properties and can be used as fertilizer, pest control or protection against mosquitoes, midges and even cats. nine0003
What is so special about
The main feature of orange peels is the so-called limonene, a special compound found in the essential oils of orange peels. This substance is quite valuable for garden trees and garden crops. But the most important thing about it is that it is completely safe for both humans and plants, animals and beneficial insects.
At the same time, thanks to limonene, orange peel is able to drive away pests. Its specific smell in a special way affects the receptors of harmful insects, from which they are disoriented and cannot find the right plant. In addition, there are types of pests that orange peel has a toxic effect on, and they quickly die. nine0003
In addition, orange peels are rich in other substances such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus.
They can be used as top dressing.
Against aphids
Orange peels are quite capable of ridding garden crops of such a pest as aphids. For this, an infusion is prepared from them: 1 cup of crushed dry crusts is poured with 10 liters of water and infused for a week. After that, the affected leaves and stems are sprayed with an infusion from a spray bottle every 3-4 days until the insects completely disappear. Experienced gardeners claim that aphids disappear after 2-3 treatments. nine0003
For ants
To get rid of ants in the garden, soak a handful of dry stonecrops in a small amount of water, and when they swell, they should be ground into a pulp and spread near trees or shrubs. If you find an anthill in your garden, then you should dig out its top, and put orange gruel on top.
Protection against thrips
Thrips are a rather unpleasant and very small pest that is difficult to get rid of. To defeat thrips, use the same infusion as in the fight against aphids.
Plants are sprayed with a solution in the same way with an interval of 2-3 days. Pests disappear after 3-4 treatments. nine0003
No spider mite
The spider mite is a very small but harmful insect that can cause serious damage. To combat it, prepare an infusion:
- Mix 2 cups of dry orange peels with 200-300 g of chopped fresh wormwood.
- The resulting mixture is poured into 10 liters of warm water.
- The contents are infused for 5-7 days.
- Plants are sprayed with the obtained infusion at intervals of 3-4 days until the tick disappears completely. nine0048
In the fight against wireworm
Wireworm is the worst enemy of potatoes, carrots and beets. To scare him away when planting potatoes, add a handful of dry zest to each well. And before sowing beets or carrots, the peel is placed in the soil when preparing the beds. It is believed that the wireworm does not touch vegetables that smell like orange.
Against the May beetle
The greatest harm is caused not by the beetles themselves, but by their larvae.
In appearance, they are rather thick, large with a developed mouth apparatus and a great appetite. Such pests mainly feed on the leaves of plants of all deciduous species or young ovaries, and if there are too many larvae, they are able to bare a whole tree in a season. In order to scare away these pests, orange peels are added to the soil when preparing the beds. It is also useful to lay the zest in each hole when planting garden trees. nine0003
Against slugs
It is believed that the smell of orange can repel any pests, but not slugs. For them, it is especially attractive and acts as a bait. Therefore, special traps are used to fight slugs.
To make a trap, prepare a slurry of zest and water and place it in a cut plastic bottle. Then it is buried in the garden so that the edges protrude by 2-3 cm. At the same time, the mixture with which the bottle is filled must be sufficiently liquid, and it should be updated from time to time. If you bury such a container in the evening, then in the morning you will find drowned slugs in it.
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Protection against "whiskered" guests
Cats sometimes also become garden pests. The fact is that they often like to lie on the beds and do not notice the rather fragile and tender young plants. In addition, these animals often turn the garden into their toilet, which does considerable harm. However, there is a way to easily wean them from such habits: it is enough to bury dry orange peels around the perimeter or between the beds, and the cats will leave the plants alone.
Free from mosquitoes and midges
Fresh orange peel is an excellent remedy for mosquitoes and midges. Therefore, passionate fans of these sunny fruits can forget about mosquito repellents. To scare off annoying insects, you just need to rub the skin with fresh crusts, and mosquitoes will not approach you. However, this method is not suitable if you are allergic to citrus fruits.
Orange peel as a fertilizer
Zest is a storehouse of valuable substances. To feed the plants, it is buried in the garden in the fall and left until spring.
