Westland Citrus Potting Compost Mix and Enriched with Seramis, 8 L

Product Information

Remove the peel from the citrus fruit, and split up the segments of the fruit before you pop it into your compost. You can even go one step further and chop it all up into smaller pieces. This creates more surface area for the microbes and bacteria to work on, speeding up the decomposition process. Drying out the citrus peels before adding them is another step that helps make the process more efficient. Keep Your Compost Balanced Plants can be placed outdoors in summer, from mid-June to late September, if sheltered from cold winds. At other times, keep them in a cool greenhouse or conservatory. Citrus are not ideal houseplants, as the heat and dry atmosphere can cause scorch. Transform your kitchen scraps into a delightful and refreshing potpourri with the star ingredient – citrus peels! This easy DIY homemade potpourri is made from all-natural elements and doesn’t take much time to prepare. If you do not have the time for a hot composting pile, you can still do it via the cold compost method. While this takes longer, it requires a lot less effort since you or simply leaving the pile to decompose naturally. Remember that the ratio of browns to greens is still important even if you are not paying attention to your pile too often. Step One Depending on the tastes of your household, you’ve probably got a range of citrus fruits at any given time. The good news is, these can all be composted, from their peels to their flesh and rinds. Let’s take a closer look at some of them: Oranges

But while sand, worm castings, and peat is the easiest way to get started, one of the most efficient ways to make potting soil is to use sand, coconut fiber, compost, and hugelkultur (soil mix 3).

This article applies to both planted and potted citrus trees, but since potted citrus have a finite amount of soil to work with, it’s important to get it right. For this reason, we’ll focus on potted citrus tree soil for the majority of the article. The strong scent which is produced by citrus fruit can deter pests, rodents, and other unwanted animals, and keep them from digging around in your compost. The reason composters have avoided composting citrus fruit in the past is because the chemical oils present in citrus fruit were believed to harm the beneficial insects that live in your compost and help speed up the decomposition process in your pile.

Every 3-4 years, when your citrus tree outgrows its pot, simply repeat the steps above to transfer it to its new pot. When and How to Amend Potting Soil The other half of why citrus peels in compost was once frowned on had to do with the fact that several chemicals in citrus peels are used in organic pesticides. While they are effective as pesticides, these chemical oils break down rapidly and will evaporate long before you place your compost on your garden. Composted citrus peels pose no threat to the friendly insects that may visit your garden. The citrus peels not only enrich the compost with essential nutrients but also help deter pests due to their strong aroma.Citrus peels are the most often used part of the fruit that goes into compost piles. As we’ve previously discussed, be sure to cut up your citrus peels into smaller pieces. This is important before putting them into your compost. This creates more surface area for microorganisms to decompose the citrus peels. It takes longer if you just throw them in whole. This takes care of the slow decomposition time. Timing It’s also worth noting that most commercial citrus is sold with a mild antimicrobial wax. This helps to prevent mold growth while the fruit waits to be sold. While this isn’t a problem for people who eat the fruit, it’s certainly strong enough to kill off any unwanted bacteria in your compost pile, so you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Final Thoughts

In winter, when plants are indoors, allow the surface of the compost to partially dry out before watering, then water thoroughly with tepid rainwater, allowing the excess to drain away. Overwatering in winter is one of the commonest problems, so err on the dry side. And never leave pots standing in water, as this can cause the roots to rot. Yellowing of the leaves or shedding leaves can be signs of overwatering. However, there are cases when you won’t need to amend the soil completely, but inject some extra nutrients into it. In these cases, you can simply add a 1-2 inch layer of compost to the top of the soil a couple of times a year (spring and summer are the best times).Next, the peels of these citrus fruits contain d-limonene, an antiseptic substance found in fresh citrus fruits. The worms that work inside the compost, do not like the substance, a factor that causes the entire process to be slow. Secondly, the lemon is too acidic and too much lemon waste added at one time will raise the acidity of the heap, setting off a disruption within your compost pile. Bacteria may have a hard time breaking down the lemon bits fast enough, which could lead to an off-putting odor in your compost heap.

This is possible with the right mix of materials and fresh potting soil for the plant. It is vital to have well-drained and fertile soil for healthy growth. The dwarf citrus varieties are incredible sights with ever-green leaves and a sweet citrus smell. The first step is to get the container for the plant right. Have a bunch of citrus peels lying around? Don’t toss them away just yet! Instead, toss them into your fireplace for the most amazing citrus peel uses. This simple and clever idea lets you make the most of those citrus peels while adding a special touch to your garden gatherings. Latest figures show that in the ACT alone, 37 per cent of the weekly rubbish collection consists of food scraps.Keep in mind that since we won’t be needing that much soil for the potted citrus plants, splurging on a premium brand will help give the tree prime nutrients for years to come. The composting process can also be sped up if you normalize turning the pile occasionally. In a drier environment or compost that is not moisturized correctly, the orange peels can take longer to decompose and probably last indefinitely. Let’s find out more about quality citrus tree soil, including what it looks like and how to make it. What Should Citrus Potting Mix Look Like? Should Have