Is there a way of making peel harmless for composting?
Tiger worms – the worms you’re most likely to find in your compost heap – are put off by the antiseptic properties of a substance called d-limonene, which exists in fresh citrus peel. This disappears once the fruit rots, so if you cut your peelings into small pieces and add lots of other material in with them, the worms avoid the citrus until it turns mouldy. If peelings make up a large part of your heap, keep a citrus bin to one side and add the peelings to the main compost only once they’ve turned furry and green. The bacteria that do most of the rotting are not bothered by citrus, but your compost will work more efficiently with worms in it. Shady shrub quest I have a bleak-looking 6ft fence at the bottom of my garden. I want to hide it with shrubs, but have a large horse chestnut tree within a metre of the fence that casts major shade in summer. Any suggestions? Shade is not your only problem, because the tree roots will be sapping moisture from the soil, making yours a hostile env
