If you’re an avid gardener, then you know that growing and caring for your plants presents you with a myriad of challenges. And the main one is pest management.
There’s nothing quite as disappointing as putting all your effort into growing your favorite vegetables only to have them destroyed before you can enjoy them.
Although there are many ways to deal with pests, some of them are expensive, and some rely on harmful poisons that have a negative impact on the environment.
If you’re looking for an inexpensive, organic alternative, you’ll be surprised to find that oranges can give you the protection your plants need. Although oranges are popularly known for their nutritional value and delicious flavor, their leftovers are just as inventive.
So while the idea of keeping pests off your plants by using orange peels may seem unconventional, don’t dismiss it until you’ve tried it. Still, the question remains:
How exactly do orange peels kill pests on your plants?
There are two ways to use orange peels to keep pests away from your plants and garden. The first and easiest method is to cut them into small pieces.
You can also grind them to release the pungent citrus smell, making this method even more effective. Then, spread the pieces out at the base of your plant.
The downside to this method is that the peels are only effective when fresh, so you’ll need to replace them as soon as they dry out and lose their odor. The alternate method that might last longer is to boil the peels in water and use the resulting mixture as a pest repellent spray.
There is no specific number of shells required for this method; however, the more, the better. This is especially true if you want to make enough of a solution for a larger than average garden.
Before you put the liquid in a sprayer, you’ll want to let it cool for a minute or two before draining all the residue. Since keeping pests out should be an ongoing process, spray your plants frequently, preferably every few days, to protect them from pesky intruders.
Why do pests hate citrus?
It’s almost counterintuitive to imagine that the refreshing scent of orange peels will keep pests out of your garden. However, most of the bugs that kill the plants in your garden don’t really like this smell.
As such, the citrus smell left behind in leftover peels is what will ultimately drive pests out of your garden.
By boiling orange peels in hot water, the liquid retains most of the fresh citrus smell, which is incredibly effective at keeping pests away, including mosquitoes, aphids, slugs, or even biting fleas. .