Don’t Toss Old Lemon Peels — How to Use Them to Help Your Plants Thrive

Composting is great for the environment, but not everyone has the space (or nose) for an entire bin. That doesn’t mean that you can’t reuse your food scraps in your garden, though.

Lemon peels have a lot of beneficial qualities when added to a garden, from pest deterrent to soil additive. Learn about a few ways adding lemon peels to your garden can be beneficial for everyone.

Benefits of Using Lemon Peels

Adding lemon peels to your garden can boost soil health, deter pests, and even mask unpleasant odors like manure or compost. Not only this, but you can even use the peels to disinfect gardening tools in a pinch, which we know makes all the difference when pruning plants or causing other open-air wounds to plants.

And, of course, this is all without mentioning the fact that these food scraps, which would otherwise go to waste, are now being put to good use.

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5 Ways to Use Lemon Peels in the Garden

Pest Repellent

Certain garden pests like ants, aphids, and mosquitoes dislike the smell of citrus. In order to get the most use out of your scraps, chop them up into small pieces and agitate the skins to release as much oil as possible; this will maximize their effect as a repellent.

Then, simply scatter these scraps around the soil and other areas where garden pests are present to keep them at bay.

Soil Additive

As we all know, lemons are quite acidic. Use this to your advantage for any soil that is too alkaline; simply mix some peels into your garden soil, and as they break down over time, they will slowly raise acidity levels.

Compost Booster

If you already compost, you know that these peels can just be tossed in the bin without issue. But the extra benefit is that their scent will help mask any unpleasant odors, too, like they would in a fridge. If your bin is getting a little smellier than you would like, maybe make some homemade lemonade and put those excess peels to work.

Organic Seed Starter

Because lemon peels break down and add so many beneficial nutrients and minerals to the soil, they also make fabulous seed starters. Take any half lemon and scoop out any remaining pulp. Let it dry out slightly, add some soil, sow your seed(s), and voila! Once your seed has begun growing, simply plant the whole thing in the ground or a container, and you’ve given that lemon a whole new life.

Disinfect Tools

It is so important to work with clean gardening tools, especially when pruning or trimming; bacteria and rust living on these tools can easily move into the wounds you’re creating on the plant and endanger it quickly.

Simply wipe your tools down with the lemon, give them a quick rinse, and be sure they dry well to avoid any rust development. Use on any garden tools, seed trays, watering cans, and even gloves to keep them fresh and clean.

Drawbacks of Using Lemon Peels

While using lemon peels in a garden has numerous benefits, they should be used correctly to ensure you’re getting the benefits you need. Some potential downsides of using lemon peels in your garden include:

• Attracting certain unwanted pests like snails, slugs, or raccoons.
• Drying out quickly without releasing all of their potential benefits.
• Adding too much acidity to the soil.

When adding lemon peels to your garden, simply keep an eye on the areas where you’ve spread them to see if any of these cons are at play.

Tips for Using Lemon Peels in the Garden

• Don’t overdo it. Add lemon peels in moderation, especially at first. If you’re not seeing the benefits you want, add more bit by bit. It’s always better to start with not enough than too much.
• Extract all benefits. What makes lemon peels so beneficial is their acidic oils; agitate the peels by rolling, chopping, and massaging them before adding to your soil to extract as many benefits as possible.
• Mix thoroughly. Make sure the peels are well spread throughout your soil and compost by mixing them in thoroughly without having too much in one area.
• Constantly add more. Because they dry out quickly, be sure to constantly replace the peels in your garden to get the most out of them.