There is a myth that citrus scraps like orange peels and lemons should never be composted. The composting community has debated this topic, but the final consensus is yes, citrus can be composted.
What is the purpose of the debate? The worms used in vermicomposting do not eat citrus until it decomposes, so they avoid citrus fruit in the process. Citrus does not harm the composting worms, and they will eventually consume it.
The benefits of adding citrus to your cold or hot composting routine are the same for everyone else. Here’s what you need to know about composting citrus scraps, what nutrients they provide, and how to do it.
Citrus Types That Can Be Composted
Every type of citrus fruit can be composted, including:
- Lemons
- Oranges
- Clementines
- Limes
- Satsumas
- Grapefruits
If you use your juicer frequently or enjoy fresh fruit every day, you can compost the peels, rinds, and pulp from the fruit.
Citrus peels are considered green compost, which means they are a good source of nitrogen.
It takes citrus fruits longer to break down than other fruits. In fruit skin, d-limonene is a chemical that can be eaten by certain bacteria, but it won’t happen to all bacteria. You can find out what compost looks like and when it is ready by visiting when compost is ready.
Composting citrus fruits have the benefit of heating the pile, which speeds up decomposition.
Citrus fruit can deter pesky insects and animals from the compost pile due to its strong scent. Fruit oils break down quickly, so they won’t harm the helpful insects you want to keep.
Do Lemons And Orange Peels Make Good Compost?
When used correctly, lemon peels and orange peels make good compost materials. You can read more about how to do so below. However, lemons and oranges generally have specific characteristics that can enhance or harm your compost pile, so make sure to use them wisely.
A large amount of lemon waste added at once will raise the acidity of the pile, causing disruption. It may be difficult for bacteria to break down lemon bits quickly enough, resulting in an off-putting smell in your compost pile.
Plants such as rhododendrons, azaleas, and camellias, on the other hand, thrive in acidic soils. These areas of your garden could benefit from compost made from lemon and orange waste.
Your compost heap will be enriched with nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus from oranges. Your compost medium is enriched by these nutrients as they aid in the breakdown of waste within your pile.
What If My Citrus Scraps Are Moldy?
Is it a concern to dispose of moldy citrus fruit in your compost bin? Since rotten citrus scraps are already breaking down, they are an excellent addition to your compost pile.
A properly maintained compost pile should also be hot enough to kill off any mold spores on citrus fruit within a short period of time.
As moldy citrus is a very wet waste material, you must take extra precautions. Your compost pile will remain in good shape if you add additional bulking agents, such as wood chips and shredded cardboard.
When you place moldy citrus scraps on top of dry leaves, you can speed up the decomposition process. Grass or paper can be used to cover the scraps. The heat generated in the center of the heap will quickly break down those moldy citrus fruits.
Best Way To Compost Citrus Scraps
Make sure your citrus scraps are broken down into very small pieces, so more surface area is exposed to bacteria.
Keep your compost heap healthy by balancing the “wet” waste of your citrus fruits with a bulking agent like dry leaves.
Seeds need to be dealt with. In order for composting piles to be effective, the temperature should reach the level that damages seeds and prevents them from germinating. Learn more about compost temperatures and how they affect your piles.
A cold composting pile rarely generates enough heat to kill citrus fruit seeds. Make sure you remove the seeds before disposing of them, or you may end up with seedlings growing in your garden.
When you use cold composting methods, do you want to speed up the breakdown process? You can let your citrus scraps sit in a lidded bucket while they rot and grow mold. As soon as you see a good amount of mold on the contents, toss them into your compost pile.
In Summary
Since citrus peels and lemon scraps are perfectly safe to compost, you no longer have to toss them in the trash that ends up at the landfill.
Citrus does indeed require more time and care to decompose within your compost pile than other fruits and vegetables. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t let that stop you from adding it.
Citrus scraps can easily be composted by using the best citrus composting methods you read about above.
Utilize the finished compost to grow beautiful, healthy plants by adding extra acidity, moisture, and nutrients!