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Reuse Old Orange Peels Around The Home & Garden With These Tips
By ALICIA BODINE
Fertilizer
International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development and L.D. College of Engineering studies found powdered orange peels fertilize and reduce alkalinity of soil.
To make fertilizer, dry your orange peels in a food dehydrator for eight to 12 hours, let them cool, place them in a blender, then sprinkle the powder around your garden plants.
Candle
You can also use your orange peels to make natural homemade candles with a citrus scent that don’t have the toxins that are often found in store-bought candles.
Simply cut an orange in half, remove the fruit, and fill the peels with olive oil. Use the stem as a wick or insert a wick, and add a few drops of essential oil for extra scent.
Pots
To create seed starter pots to protect and nourish your seeds while they germinate, cut your oranges in half, remove the fruit, and fill them with seed-starting potting mix.
Add seeds and water until the soil is moist but not sopping wet. Set your orange peel pots in a warm sunny location, and when the seeds germinate, transplant them to your garden.
Potpourri
Create potpourri by drying out your fruit peels in a food dehydrator, then placing the peels in a bowl, and adding your favorite essential oils and spices.
To fill the air with a fresh scent, slowly boil citrus and other fruit peels, herbs and spices, and essential oil in a slow cooker or pot filled ¾ of the way with distilled water.
Pests
Use orange peels as a natural insect repellent, one that won’t deter bees, by cutting them into strips and placing them on the soil around your plants. Replace them regularly.
To make a repellent spray, boil the peels in water to infuse it with the citrus, pour the water into a spray bottle, and spray it on your plants every few days and after rainfall.