Are orange peels good for my lawn?

Carlos
by Carlos

I plant tomatoes and peppers and I am just throwing on the ground orange peels and coffee grind. Since right now is winter; is what I am doing helpful or harmful for my coming summer crops?


  7 answers
  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Jan 23, 2020

    I take home the coffee grounds for my azaleas and they love it. I know they are good for acid loving plants. I found this article on tomato plant care and coffee grounds that might be helpful. It addresses the grounds in untreated form as well.

    https://homeguides.sfgate.com/tomato-plant-care-using-coffee-grounds-38512.html


    I checked a bit more and found this article on orange & banana peels in the garden

    https://homeguides.sfgate.com/banana-peels-orange-peels-garden-31257.html


    If you decide to not use your orange peels for the garden, consider making an orange peel vinegar cleaner.

    https://brendid.com/orange-vinegar-for-cleaning/



    • Carlos Carlos on Jan 23, 2020

      Ms. Law, thanks for all three suggestions. I will read them and hopefully I would have a bountiful crop this coming summer.

  • Em Em on Jan 23, 2020

    Orange peels and coffee grounds aren't the only thing you want to use. Carrot peels, apple core, lettuce ends etc to balance, also crushed egg shell. If you add too much of one thing you will change the Ph of the soil.

    Dig a hole, approximately 10 to 12 inches deep and as wide as you want or need it to be.

    Drop food scraps or other organic matter into the hole.

    Replace the soil, and you're done.


    Dig and Drop composting is a good solution for the busy gardener because you don't have to worry about harvesting the compost. The organic matter breaks down right in the garden, and the resulting compost enriches the soil and provides nutrients to nearby plants.

  • This is an interesting article. It briefly discusses citrus in the garden, but it also gives you tons of things to do with the peels if you choose not to use them that way. https://www.imperfectlyhappy.com/use-orange-peels-better-garden/

  • Beth Beth on Jan 23, 2020

    You've gotten some good advice here. I'll add that you could also compost everything, including your orange peels, and then the mixed compost to your garden to make sure no one thing is too concentrated.

  • Sharon Sharon on Jan 23, 2020

    Coffee grounds are used to acidify soil for acid-loving plants. I would check your veggies fall into that category otherwise you may kill or weaken some of your crop.

    Citrus is good to repel critters, cats etc.

    I wouldn't leave garbage on the open ground through, dig a small trench and bury the vegetables to make the nutrients available to the crop. You could also bury them inbetween rows otherwise you may attract critters like racoons, rats, bears, deer to your garden.

  • Lucie - Oh my sander Lucie - Oh my sander on Jan 23, 2020

    My mom has a small compost inside. She uses old coffee cans to store coffee grounds, egg shells, etc.

  • Joy30150932 Joy30150932 on Jan 23, 2020

    It is best if you put the leftovers in a bin of some sort and let it break down naturally. Even a garbage can with a lid may be used but cut a hole in the bottom to make it easier to get the good soil out when it is ready. When the can heats up the goods break down quicker and turn into rich soil.