I've been searching the web and this forum for an hour or so, still not sure of the answer. I have a vague memory of either reading on this forum or of hearing Howard say that citrus peels repel some of the beneficial critters you want in your compost pile.

Or, maybe I was just making that part up, I don't know.

I don't often have orange peel, but I have some today and want to do something useful with them, not toss 'em in the garbage.

Thanks!

I have tossed EVERYTHING that was once living in my compost pile, which definately includes orange peels, lemon peels, etc and I have never seen a 'slow down' in the composting rate. If it does deter something, it is not substantial in my pile.

Hope that helps.

Thanks -- and I've read the same elsewhere, so I don't know where I got the idea that they were bad for compost critters. Howard does say 'anything that was once alive', so I'm gonna toss 'em in.

My compost pile isn't all that hot right now, but it has lots of worms who seem to go after whatever I bury in there. I do bury my kitchen waste, rather than putting it on top of the pile. Dig a little hole with the trowel, dump the container, cover it up. Seems to work.

We tend to throw eveything on top (kitchen wastes, etc) and when I have the chance, I will 'turn' the huge pile to the best of my ability.

It is fun to watch the backyard birds go crazy with little tortilla chips when they get thrown into the pile.

If squash bugs are an issue for you, save your orange peels in a bag in a gallon freezer bag until you have a whole bag full of them. Then put them in a stock pot, cover with water, and simmer them for a couple hours.

Strain off the liquid and use it -- undiluted -- as an organic control for squash bugs. I'm getting ready to make some today. Once it has cooked down, I'm going to freeze the liquid so it's ready for the spring/early summer squash season.

Then you can put the cooked peels into your compost pile and they will break down even faster.

Note: homemade orange oil -- as above -- is not as strong as the Orange Oil (D-Limonene) you can buy at the store. BUT, we have successfully used it to kill squash bugs and save our plants.

Learn more here: http://www.dirtdoctor.com/organic/garde ... n/id/1369/

Happy composting & gardening!

Oh, one more thing. If you like the smell of oranges, making your own orange oil makes your house smell great! My entire house smells like oranges. Yum!

One of the best things about cleaning with orange oil is the smell it leaves in my house -- such as right now, after some cleaning today.

I don't buy oranges very often, so can't accumulate enough peels to use for anything. Bought a few to use in cranberry-orange bread for holiday gifts, but that's probably my year's supply.