Yahoo News 20p kitchen scrap that can ‘deter rats and cats’ and makes plants 'flower better'
Fertilising the garden is one of the finest investments a gardener can make, promising larger blooms, copious harvests and overall happier plants. However, premium-grade fertiliser often comes with a hefty price tag.
Inventive green-fingers have discovered that a certain kitchen waste product not only conserves money but also dramatically reduces kitchen waste.
All households generate kitchen waste, no matter how conscientious they are about eating everything before its use by date and plant-based products are often the main offenders.
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Seeking to curb this wastage, one gardener questioned if she could put her orange peels to good use in her garden, what items she should avoid using, and whether these changes could genuinely boost her plants' health, reports the Express.
Posing the question on the Gardening UK Facebook page, one keen gardener said: "Hi, I have a few compost questions. Can I put orange peel in the compost bin? I eat loads of oranges but as I never knew if you could I tend to throw the peel away."
She added: "I know you can't put onions, cooked food and meat in, but is there anything else you shouldn't put in the compost bin?"
Other group members quickly rallied to support the practice of adding orange peels to the compost heap, one said: "I always add oranges and onion! Not had any problems."
A second shared similar sentiments, they said: "I put all uncooked veg and fruit peel, onions and orange banana peel, buckets of unwashed seaweed in and shredded paper and cardboard."
A third added: "I have always put onions and also orange, lime and lemon peels in and it's never been an issue for me. It's helped my plants fantastically to flower better and has deterred rats and cats from my garden."
Gardening buffs are being urged to chuck orange peels into their compost bins. Within a couple of years, the peels will start breaking down. Packed with nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, these components form a nutrient-rich soil once decomposed, perfect for planting.
Their acidic quality makes them particularly beneficial for acid-loving plants such as potatoes, blueberries, azaleas, and hydrangeas. Oranges are a budget-friendly buy at local grocers, with a pack of five available for 99p at Asda and Sainsbury's, working out at just 20p an orange.
