Citrus rinds

I have a lemon tree that makes way too many lemons for the family. I have tried compostiong them in the past and they seem to take a long time to break down. I wonder if anyone has found a good way to compost a lot of citrus.

Is it their composition or their bulk that makes them difficult to break down? I'd chop them up however you can before adding them.

Run them through the food processor, blender or just slice them up fine. That ought to work. I'd add a littly water to emulsify it a bit.

Phil

Hi, I'm new to the soil forum. No particular reason I haven't been here , except that there are so MANY forums on DG now, I can't keep up. But I love taking car eof my soil any way I can. As far as citrus rinds, I have been just spreading them around the squash bed. My neighbor farmer grows zucchini every year (will leave it in any unlocked car or entry way) in their small garden, and she says that is how she keeps away the squash bgus. Thought it would be worth a try. If nothing else, it should attract crickets, which eat squash bug eggs...

Tamara

I've read where you can use grapefruit halves (sure that lemons would perform equally well), hollowed out around the base of plants that get earwigs. Then, in the morning, they say you just lift it up and throw it out. I'd have the fear of the escaping earwigs climbing up my arms. Yuk!