Question: Can you put orange or grapefruit peels in your compost pile?
Hardiness Zone: 6a
Peggy from Chillicothe, OH
Answer: Yes, definitely!
You can successfully compost all types of fruit and vegetable peelings from the kitchen. Meat scraps, dairy products, and high-fat foods like salad dressings and peanut butter can be composted too, but it is generally better to avoid them. They produce a rancid smell when decomposing that repels neighbors and attracts animals.
To speed up decomposition, food scraps should be chopped or cut up into small pieces and eggshells crushed. Here are some examples of items that can be composted. Some of them may surprise you:
Food Waste (cooked & raw)
Breads, candy, coffee grounds (& non-bleached filters), eggshells, fruit & vegetable peelings, microwaveable popcorn bags, Popsicle sticks, nuts, paper food wraps & ice cream boxes, paper plates, napkins and towels, pasta, pizza boxes, tea leaves & tea bags, muffin liners, wine corks.
Yard Waste
Brush, grass clippings (not chemically treated), hay & straw, leaves, pine cones/needles, plants, roots, sawdust and wood shavings, twigs & branches, weeds (not recommended).
Other Waste
Shredded cardboard, dust bunnies, feathers, human hair, newspaper, etc.
Happy composting!
Ellen
About The Author: Ellen Brown is an environmental writer and photographer and the owner of Sustainable Media, an environmental media company that specializes in helping businesses and organizations promote eco-friendly products and services. Contact her on the web at http://www.sustainable-media.com
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RE: Putting Citrus Peels in Your Compost Pile
Does the peel make compost too acidic? What about the chemicals sprayed onto the fruits?
Posted on 01/07/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Putting Citrus Peels in Your Compost Pile
I have a bag less vacuum cleaner, I empty the container in it! (Also a great way to find money and game pieces that got sucked up)
Posted on 03/22/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Putting Citrus Peels in Your Compost Pile
I have an orange tree and make juice. I always put all the rinds from making the juice in the composite and layer them with grass, leaves,etc. I have had no problems with them decomposing in a timely manner:)
Posted on 03/22/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Putting Citrus Peels in Compost Pile
Here is what I do with my orange peel. Remove as much of the white as possible, then grind it up in my coffee grinder. Let it dry half hour or som and store in plastic bag in freezer. I now have orange rind to add to many things I bake, especially biscotti.
Posted on 01/05/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Putting Citrus Peels in Compost Pile
Maybe you'd want to snip them into strips or bits to hurry the composting. They remain recognizable a little longer than other materials, which is no problem. The simplest thing to do it to just bury them in a flower bed where they can compost however slowly they want, and be done with it.
Posted on 01/04/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Putting Citrus Peels in Compost Pile
Did you know that citrus peels are also good to put into your flower bed to keep stray (or ones belonging to the neighbors, who let them run loose) animals from using the beds for their litter area. Animals do not like citrus!
Posted on 01/04/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Putting Citrus Peels in Compost Pile
Yes, you can!
Posted on 01/02/2008 | Report Spam or Abuse
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