Debunking the Myth About Composting Citrus Peels
I’m not sure how this urban legend really came to fruition, but it’s simply not something to worry about.
What it comes down to is that if you make any reasonable attempt at composting, it’s really hard to mess up- adding citrus is not going to ruin your compost whatsoever.
My hunch is that the citrus myth evolved from vermicomposting first, as citrus peels are not a worm’s favorite snack.
Nonetheless, even with worms you can feed them citrus waste in moderation (good rule of thumb for pretty much anything you feed worms, by the way).
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THANK YOU!
Now to convince my husband!
I dig it in to the garden beds sometimes as I hate the waste!
It HAS to be good to recycle those nutrients into the soil – an’ that’s “doin’ it naturally”.
PS Your term “analysis paralysis” delights me. 🙂
Thanks again.
What about the whole fruit? I was given a bunch of ruined produce for my compost…will it hurt to put the whole fruit (peel, pith, and juice). I usually run any of my produce that is going to the compost through a food processor to help with a speedier breakdown.
Hi Tamela,
You can put the whole fruit in- it’ll just take longer to break down.
Grinding it up really helps, although it’s not required.
Speaking of debunking myths, meat and dairy compost just fine. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/compost-meat-waste-78294.html
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/how-to-compost-meat/
My compost pile is largely cofee grounds and grapefruit rinds, along with grass clippings in the summer. I turn it frequently and I chop the peels up well. All this material breaks down rapidly. Worms dont eat the food materials placed in a compist pile. Bacteria and mold break these items down, and worms scour the surface, eating the microorganisms. You can see this happen in a worm farm; a chunk of tomato, etc., just gradually brakes down around the edges, the worms devour the micros that are doing the work, and thats why an aerated pile is largely odorless: no visible buildup of mold and bacteria because they are continually being consumed.
I have put orange peels into my compost, which was some soil and green leaves. All the citrus peels went visibly moldy (whitish-greyish-greenish color). Should I throw them out or leave it like that? I wanted to prevent mold and sprayed it with garlic water but that didn’t help at all.
Hi,
Definitely leave it like that- mold is a good thing in the compost bin. Just cover it all with brown materials (shredded leaves are best) and dampen the contents. Good stuff!
Do I have to have an accurate ratio of carbon/nitrogen for these things to be beneficial to the soil?
I have an area that I want to turn into a flower bed at some point. I replaced areas of soil completely last spring for rows of flowers.
I would like to put kitchen scraps (fruits and veggies, and maybe bread), newspaper, etc that I have regularly, into the ground in the compacted clay which is useless. Would creating small holes (10″ square) for composting in the soil be beneficial this way? Or is it necessary to have coffee grounds, eggshells, etc which contain specific nutrients? And good ratios?
Hi Shawna,
No need for an accurate ratio, so to speak. I keep it really simple- For every amount of food scraps I add, add twice that amount in leaves, and then use up to one watering can full of water to dampen the pile.
Regarding the contents, the more diversity the better, but I wouldn’t sweat it.
My question about composting citrus is, it usually molds quickly, and I’m worried that the mold spores will land through the air and survive to later affect my growing citrus fruit. We live in Alabama, and I don’t want the mold spores to affect my peaches (we had all of the fruit on our peach tree turn completely black with mold before it could even get ripe. We also have grapefruit and satsumas and kumquats that we don’t want to mold.
I have a theory and need a second opinion from someone who doesn’t believe myths.
Apparently egg shells need to be prepared in a certain way. Charred, crumbed and vinegar over night.
If you just chuck them in with the citrus, doesn’t that do the same job? Just takes a bit longer? Im leaving mine for a year anyway
Never heard of that- I’d just throw them in!
Of course, the more you crunch it up, the easier/quicker it’ll break down.
Great post. People just stress too much over compost in my opinion. My theory is that if it grew out of the Earth, the Earth will take it back!
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I had not heard of this, ‘myth’, but I have found that the worms abscond from my very healthy compost bins if I add citrus. So I don’t. I put all citrus waste into the sack that goes to the municipal composting.