Tear into Small Pieces: Carefully tear the citrus peels into small pieces using your hands. Smaller pieces are easier to work with and release more of the citrus scent that pests dislike. The citrus peels not only enrich the compost with essential nutrients but also help deter pests due to their strong aroma.

Use a container of considerable size, at least bigger, than nursery pots. This will allow the roots to develop well and have enough space. A large pot of about 30 inches in diameter should be large enough. You may need to change the pot as the tree increases in size.Sandy soils have larger particles than clay or loam. This allows it to be well-draining and not clump up too much like clay. Additionally, sand is higher in acidity, which is preferred by citrus trees. However, a downside to using soil that is too sandy is its poor water retention. Loam Watering: In hard water areas use rainwater whenever possible to maintain the slightly acid conditions of the compost. Allow the surface to dry out between waterings, then water thoroughly but do not allow to stand in water. Putting citrus peels in compost may actually be helpful to keeping scavengers out of your compost pile. Citrus peels often have a strong smell that many scavenger animals dislike. This smell can work to your advantage to keep common compost pests away from your compost pile. Citrus in Compost and Worms When you first plant your lime tree, you want to find a container that is twice the size of the root ball. The material is not of particular importance. Plastic works just fine and is much lighter than wood or ceramic, which makes it easier to move in and out throughout the seasons. Planting the lime tree into its new pot Lastly, using citrus when composting is great for the environment. Any use that you have for your scraps beyond throwing them in the garbage bin does excellently for Mother Earth because that is less waste that goes into the landfills.

You can place a screen or finely meshed gauze at the base of the container. This may be necessary if the draining holes are large. Also, deal with the seeds, especially if you are using cold compost as it can provide a proper environment for them to germinate rather than decompose. As such, you can remove the seeds before disposal or use a hot composting method. Fill in around the edges with more compost ensuring the top feeder roots are covered with 2cm of fresh compost.Cover the remaining space in the pot with your homemade citrus soil. The base of the tree and the top of the soil should be 0.5-1 inch lower than the top of the pot.

Transform your kitchen scraps into a delightful and refreshing potpourri with the star ingredient – citrus peels! This easy DIY homemade potpourri is made from all-natural elements and doesn’t take much time to prepare. Hot compost is the composting process where almost no heat is lost, which speeds up the process considerably. As long as you are tending to your compost pile regularly, you could have the final product in as little as four weeks. It’s important that there is a good balance of both greens and browns for this process to go as smoothly as possible. Step One Gather Citrus Peels:Collect peels from citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, or grapefruits after you’ve used the fruit for eating or cooking. However, oranges have specific tendencies that can harm your compost pile, so use them wisely. In general, you should not compost too many oranges. This is because they can disrupt the balance of your compost heap. If you’re new to composting, you might be wondering about the terms ‘green’ and ‘brown’ that seemed to get referred to a lot. They actually help you categorize your organic materials that go into the compost bin:

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If you aren’t familiar, hugelkultur is when you bury branches, logs, grass clippings, and other organic materials at the base of the soil. For potted citrus trees, when you place these materials at the bottom of the pot, they’ll slowly decompose and aerate the soil. This slow break-down of organic matter will provide much of what your citrus trees need for a long time to come. Citrus plants should keep their leaves all winter, which means they require plenty of light, humidity and occasional watering and feeding. Many citrus flower in late winter.

Remember, they contain d-limonene, an antiseptic substance found in fresh citrus fruits. The substance is not beloved by microorganisms and bacteria inside the compost.When setting up your compost pile to include citrus, it’s important that you place the citrus in the middle of the pile. Place it between several layers of green and brown compost. Once this is done, you must introduce oxygen into the compost pile by stirring the compost. You can do this more easily with an aeration tool that has a long handle. Step Two When you’re planning to spend time outdoors, don’t forget to bring along some citrus peels. Rub the peels directly onto your skin. Mosquitoes despise the scent of citrus, making it an effective natural repellent. The refreshing aroma will not only keep mosquitoes away but also leave you with a pleasant citrusy fragrance.