When you next chop up a lemon, don’t throw away the peel. It turns out that the rind is incredibly beneficial for your plants. This is also a great way to cut down on food waste, a major issue in Britain. According to Waste Managed, 9.52 million tonnes of food is wasted in the UK every year, with consumer behaviour being one of the biggest culprits. This includes bulk buying, not consuming produce before its best before date, and not knowing how to reuse food in the garden.
Many different kinds of foods can be used to help your garden grow, and some can actually help alter your soil’s pH, which can greatly benefit certain kinds of plants. For example, some plant species require more alkaline soil, while others prefer acidic soil. Experts say that a great way to tailor your soil’s pH is by using lemon peel.
The gardening experts at Mimea write, “Some plants favour more acidic soils. Lemon peel can be used to alter the acidity of your soil, improving the health of your plants.” This is because lemons contain a lot of citric acid. Therefore, the more lemon peel you place in your soil, the more acidic it will become.
Common plants that thrive in acidic environments include azaleas, hydrangeas, gardenias, cranberries, and blueberries. You can also use lemon peel to make a compost pile. Mimea adds, “They’re rich in all kinds of valuable nutrients, including essential vitamins and minerals that plants need to thrive.” As these nutrients decompose, they will mix in with the rest of your compost. Once they’ve broken down, you can spread the compost over your garden.
There are many other kinds of food waste that you can add to your compost to help plants grow. These include coffee grounds, egg shells, vegetable peelings, and leftover fruit. Lemon peel can also be used as a pest repellent. While lemons smell sweet to us, many insects and rodents are repulsed by them, which means they’re more likely to stay away from your plants.
A final unexpected benefit of composting with lemon peel is that butterflies love the smell of lemon. If you’re looking to attract these fluttery insects to your garden, lemon peel is your friend.
