{"id":2108,"date":"2021-04-02T21:41:32","date_gmt":"2021-04-02T21:41:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecofamilylife.com\/?p=2108"},"modified":"2021-07-28T08:16:15","modified_gmt":"2021-07-28T08:16:15","slug":"how-to-compost-citrus-easy-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecofamilylife.com\/garden\/how-to-compost-citrus-easy-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How to compost citrus | Easy guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Compost citrus in your home compost bin by <\/strong>chopping into small pieces and mixing through with other compost ingredients such as fall leaves, coffee grounds and straw. Citrus such as lemons, limes, oranges and mandarins<\/strong> can be added whole to your compost bin but will break down quicker if cut into small pieces or add just the peel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How much citrus to add to compost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Add 2-3 citrus fruits per week to a small backyard compost<\/strong> to keep it in balance. If you only have a very small compost bin<\/a> then you should only add a very small amount of citrus. Too much citrus in your compost can attract flies and ants<\/a>. If your compost is too wet or smells, add some more leaves, straw or shredded cardboard and mix it through<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you add any citrus to your compost, mix it in straight away so small vinegar flies<\/a> aren\u2019t attracted to it. If you have a bigger compost you may find you can add more citrus, but it is still best to dig it in straight away to help the break down process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to compost lemon peel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Compost lemon peels in small amounts in balance with the rest of your compost. Mix them through with other food scraps and some carbon material like straw or hay. This will balance out the pH and absorb any excess water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lemon peel is great in compost<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Make sure that there are at least 2 times as much brown material like dried leaves, straw, sugar cane mulch<\/a> or shredded paper as there are green materials like lemon peels and vegetable scraps. This will help to keep the moisture balance correct. If you find your compost gets too wet, just mix through some extra straw or dry leaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to compost oranges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Chop whole oranges up before adding to your compost or just add the peel. Start by adding 1-2 oranges to your compost per week to see how much your compost can break down without smelling or becoming too wet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air temperature, rain, brown and green material balance all make a difference in the way the compost will break down and how much citrus you can add. A small home compost can usually handle 2-3 oranges per week, cut in pieces and mixed through with brown material. But make sure you keep checking and make sure<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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