A gardening lover on TikTok has shared a resourceful hack using orange peel, and it's perfect for getting rid of pests. One of the biggest problems for anyone with a green thumb is knowing how to get rid of slugs and other common pests, like aphids and mosquitoes.
Household brand WD-40 brought this budget and eco-friendly garden maintenance trick to our attention. Not only will it deter unwanted visitors from your vegetable patch, but it also costs next to nothing and uses no harsh chemicals.
Orange peel pest hack
Avid gardeners will know just how frustrating it is when bugs and other wildlife take advantage of plants, from hostas and dahlias to lettuces. @TheAshtonHomestead recommends chopping up leftover orange peels and spreading them across your planters to discourage any pesky visitors.
'No matter how hard we try to be proactive in our garden, pests will always be around,' says the TikTok gardener. This natural hack will help you to deter pests without spending money on repellents and pesticides.
According to The Ashton Homestead, the orange peels contain a natural insecticide called D-Limonene that will repel everything from slugs, ants and fruit flies to dogs and foxes. The smell of citrus puts them off, giving you pest-free plants for (almost) free.
@theashtonhomestead ♬ Little Bitty Pretty One - Thurston Harris
Leftover orange peel isn't the only thing in your kitchen that can be useful for deterring pests. You can also use cinnamon powder (or cinnamon leaf essential oil) which will kill ants if you're looking for tips on how to get rid of ants.
If your yard is overrun with squirrels, one simple tip for how to get rid of squirrels is to grow a pot of strongly scented mint as they hate the smell.
Calum Maddock is a gardening expert from HomeHow. We asked him what he thought of the orange peel pest hack, and he pointed out that although it does work to repel and reduce insect pests, it 'also repels the good bugs that naturally predate aphids and other pests.'
So, he says it's worth being aware of this and using it selectively. As an alternative, Calum recommends planting marigolds instead, which also contain limonene.
Will you be trying this hack?
