"Phisherman" wrote in message
...
On 7 Aug 2006 17:22:37 -0700, wrote:

We've got eleven orange trees and quite a few oranges wind up on the
ground throughout the year. We just got a composter, and I was
wondering if it's OK to put whole oranges in it? The oranges will have
been squished already, or partially eaten by our various squirrels,
etc., and we will be putting our kitchen waste and some grass clippings
and leaves in there as well. Thanks...


They will compost fine. If you cut them up they will compost faster.
This reminds me when I lived in Downy, California--oranges everywhere,
rolling in the street gutters and all over the place.

Treat them much the same as grass. If you actively manage your compost you
will find the citrus goes quite mushy and may need dry material added to it.
It does heat up quite nicely in a large balanced compost pile. If you just
chuck things in and leave them to break down thats ok too. The citrus will
be gone in much the same time as grass.

rob

We've got eleven orange trees and quite a few oranges wind up on the
ground throughout the year. We just got a composter, and I was
wondering if it's OK to put whole oranges in it? The oranges will have
been squished already, or partially eaten by our various squirrels,
etc., and we will be putting our kitchen waste and some grass clippings
and leaves in there as well. Thanks...

On 7 Aug 2006 17:22:37 -0700, wrote:

We've got eleven orange trees and quite a few oranges wind up on the
ground throughout the year. We just got a composter, and I was
wondering if it's OK to put whole oranges in it? The oranges will have
been squished already, or partially eaten by our various squirrels,
etc., and we will be putting our kitchen waste and some grass clippings
and leaves in there as well. Thanks...


They will compost fine. If you cut them up they will compost faster.
This reminds me when I lived in Downy, California--oranges everywhere,
rolling in the street gutters and all over the place.

wrote in message
ps.com...
We've got eleven orange trees and quite a few oranges wind up on the
ground throughout the year. We just got a composter, and I was
wondering if it's OK to put whole oranges in it? The oranges will have
been squished already, or partially eaten by our various squirrels,
etc., and we will be putting our kitchen waste and some grass clippings
and leaves in there as well. Thanks...


I heard somewhere that citrus isn't such a good thing to put in the compost.
Can't remember why - ?worms don't like it or something. I avoid it in mine,
just in case.

Jen

_________________
John Henry Wheeler
Washington, DC
USDA Zone 7
"Jen" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
ps.com...
We've got eleven orange trees and quite a few oranges wind up on the
ground throughout the year. We just got a composter, and I was
wondering if it's OK to put whole oranges in it? The oranges will have
been squished already, or partially eaten by our various squirrels,
etc., and we will be putting our kitchen waste and some grass clippings
and leaves in there as well. Thanks...


I heard somewhere that citrus isn't such a good thing to put in the
compost. Can't remember why - ?worms don't like it or something. I avoid
it in mine, just in case.

Jen

There's nothing wrong with oranges in compost. The pulp and juice are high
in nitrogen, so keep turning to avoid ammonia. At one time my compost was
made up mostly of coffee grounds and orange pulp and rinds. The only
problem is the high maintenance--turning nearly every day. It's possible
that worms don't like it when fresh, but that's vermiculture, not
composting.
_________________
John Henry Wheeler
Washington, DC
USDA Zone 7

In article ,
says...

wrote in message
ps.com...
We've got eleven orange trees and quite a few oranges wind up on the
ground throughout the year. We just got a composter, and I was
wondering if it's OK to put whole oranges in it? The oranges will have
been squished already, or partially eaten by our various squirrels,
etc., and we will be putting our kitchen waste and some grass clippings
and leaves in there as well. Thanks...


I heard somewhere that citrus isn't such a good thing to put in the compost.
Can't remember why - ?worms don't like it or something. I avoid it in mine,
just in case.


I recall that being an issue with store-bought fruit, due to
pesticides or some other chemical.


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On Tue, 08 Aug 2006 02:15:03 GMT, Phisherman wrote:

On 7 Aug 2006 17:22:37 -0700, wrote:

We've got eleven orange trees and quite a few oranges wind up on the
ground throughout the year. We just got a composter, and I was
wondering if it's OK to put whole oranges in it? The oranges will have
been squished already, or partially eaten by our various squirrels,
etc., and we will be putting our kitchen waste and some grass clippings
and leaves in there as well. Thanks...


They will compost fine. If you cut them up they will compost faster.
This reminds me when I lived in Downey, California--oranges everywhere,
rolling in the street gutters and all over the place.

Yeah, but that was way back when. Used to be (before I got out here)
they said you could drive through Riverside and get high on the smell
of orange blossoms...

A studio colleague of mine, years ago when I was at Warner's, was born
here in So.Calif; she remembered small planes landing in pastures,
and the aforesaid orange groves stretching for miles.

Sounds like Paradise Lost!


Persephone