Tag Archive for: Orange

household cleaners

Household Cleaners

Do you like the idea of using household cleaners that are natural? I do. Especially after I noticed a build-up of ‘blue’ cleaning product in the small crevices of my bathroom counters.

So, I decided to focus on using natural cleaners using something straight from my garden – citrus!

Did you know that citrus (all kinds) have natural cleaning properties? It does. Citrus cleaner smells great, cleans well and I feel great using something that I grew.

Introduction to Household Cleaners

Creating your own all-natural household cleaner using leftover citrus peels and vinegar is not only environmentally friendly but also highly effective. Citrus fruits like grapefruit, lemon, and oranges possess natural disinfecting properties, making them excellent ingredients for homemade cleaners. This DIY citrus cleaner is a fantastic way to put your citrus peels to good use while avoiding the harsh chemicals found in many commercial cleaners.

household cleaners from oranges and other citrus

Harnessing the Power of Citrus

Many commercial cleaners incorporate lemon or orange for a reason – citrus fruits naturally disinfect and can help remove stains and mineral deposits. By making your own citrus cleaner, you’re taking advantage of these natural cleaning properties while reducing waste.

Crafting Your Homemade Citrus Cleaner

Gathering Ingredients and Supplies

To get started, you’ll need a few simple ingredients and supplies:

  • Citrus fruit (grapefruit, lemons, or oranges work well)
  • A large jar with a lid
  • Regular distilled vinegar
  • Strainer
  • Spray bottle

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s how to create your homemade citrus cleaner:

  1. Begin by peeling your chosen citrus fruit or simply cut off the peels.
  2. Place the citrus peels into your jar, ensuring the jar is completely filled.
  3. Add vinegar to cover all the peels.
  4. Store the container in a dark, cool place, such as your pantry or cupboard, for approximately 2 to 3 weeks.
  5. After steeping, strain the citrus peel and vinegar mixture through a strainer to remove any pulp or debris.
  6. Fill half of a spray bottle with the citrus and vinegar mixture, then top it off with water – that’s it!
Lemons

Versatile and Cost-Effective Cleaning

Your homemade citrus cleaner is now ready for use as an all-purpose cleaner on various surfaces, including floors, stovetops, appliances, and glass. It’s effective and budget-friendly. However, please avoid using it on marble or granite countertops, as the vinegar could potentially damage them.

Tip: Stock Up on Citrus Peels

If you don’t have enough citrus peels initially, consider freezing them until you accumulate a sufficient quantity to fill a jar.

*Optional: For a customized fragrance, add herbs like rosemary or mint, or incorporate essential oils to enhance the scent of your homemade citrus cleaner.

Crafting a Disinfecting Citrus Cleaner

For those seeking a quicker disinfecting solution, follow these steps:

  1. Take the peels from one citrus fruit of your choice and add them to 4 cups of water.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from heat and allow it to cool.
  3. Remove the peels.
  4. Add 6 tablespoons of distilled vinegar and 3 teaspoons of borax to the cooled citrus water.
  5. Transfer the solution to a spray bottle and use it immediately on non-porous surfaces.

Embrace DIY for a Greener Home

Crafting your homemade citrus cleaner not only creates an eco-friendly product but also reduces waste, utilizing items like citrus peels that might otherwise end up in the trash. Discover the benefits of natural cleaning with this simple and effective DIY project for your home.

So, if you have a tree filled with citrus, or even if you have to buy some at the grocery store – this cleaner is well worth it!

Shrubs Aren’t Meant To Be Cupcakes, Frisbees, or Pill Boxes

Do you have citrus trees?  If you live in zone 9 or higher, chances that you or your neighbor has a citrus tree or two growing in their backyard.

5 Surprising Ways to Use Citrus Fruit For Home and Kitchen

It may be hard for those who live in colder climates to understand, but those of us who grow citrus often have more than we can eat.  It’s not unusual to see boxes and bags filled with citrus fruit by the curb free for the taking. Sometimes excess citrus fruit is simply left on the tree or falls to the ground.

Surprising Ways to Use Citrus Fruit

While it’s true that you can only eat so much citrus in the few months it appears in your tree, did you know that there are other ways you can use citrus?

Here are 5 creative Ways to Use Citrus:

1. Citrus Natural Air Fresheners

making your natural air fresheners by using citrus fruits

Who doesn’t love the fresh scent of citrus?  Well, you can bring the scents of citrus into your home by making your natural air fresheners.

In addition to citrus, you can add other fragrant ingredients such as mint, thyme, vanilla, and even basil and peppercorns.

Click here to learn how easy it is to make your own – they make great gifts too!

2. Citrus Bouquets

making a great filler in bouquets by using citrus fruits

The leaves of citrus are dark green and glossy, and they make a great filler in bouquets.

If you have a citrus tree that produces smaller fruit such as a kumquat or lime tree, you can cut a few branches and leave the fruit on it for a colorful, natural centerpiece. The large leaves of a grapefruit or lemon tree make a beautiful garnish for a serving platter.

3. Natural Citrus Cleaner

natural cleaner for your home to Use Citrus Fruit

Did you know that the peels of citrus can be used to make an effective, natural cleaner for your home?

It doesn’t matter what type of citrus peel you use – all you need are peels, vinegar, and a large jar.

Click here to learn how to make your own.

4. Freeze Citrus Zest

orange zest to use citrus fruit

How many times have you made a recipe that needed lemon, lime, or orange zest?  Now, when citrus is in season, all I have to do is walk outdoors and pick what I need.  But what about the rest of the year or for those of you who don’t grow citrus?

It turns out the citrus zest can be frozen.  So, just before you peel or juice an orange, zest if first and put the zest in a plastic freezer bag.  

I have frozen citrus zest in my freezer, ready for me to use.  

5. Lemon Ice Cubes

frozen juice to use Citrus Fruit

Lemon and sometimes lime juice are a popular ingredient in both savory and sweet dishes.  An easy way to preserve your lemon harvest is to freeze the juice into individual ice cubes.  Once frozen, pop them out and save them in a plastic freezer bag.

When you need to use them, simply put an ice cube in a small bowl and stick in the microwave for 30 seconds on high to melt.  That’s it!  I do this for my homemade salsa.

Whether you grow your own citrus or buy it at the store – make the most of them by using one or more of these creative tips.

How about you?  Do you have any tips for using citrus fruit?  

A Breath of Fresh Air: Creating Natural Air Fresheners

Have you ever sprayed air freshener in your home? Does it ever smell like the fragrance described on the can? I must confess that I have used air-fresheners in the past, but I’ve never happy with how my house smelled afterward. To me, the fragrance is so ‘artificial,’ and I also wonder if there are some ingredients in them that maybe aren’t good to inhale.

Create Natural Air Fresheners From the Garden

Discover the Beauty of Natural Fragrances

So, I was intrigued when I heard about ‘natural’ air fresheners made from plants – many of which I have in my garden.

Imagine your home filled with the natural fragrance of citrus paired with your favorite herbs drifting throughout – no overpowering, artificial fragrance, just subtle, refreshing scents.  

How to Make Your Own Natural Air Fresheners

The combinations are endless, and the fragrance is released into the air by adding the contents and enough water to fill a small pot at least 1/2 – 3/4 full. Heat to boiling and then turn the heat down to low and allow it to simmer for a couple of hours. That’s it!

So are you as excited about creating your own ‘natural’ air fresheners as I am? 

citrus of all kinds are great in a freshener

Natural Ingredients for Your Unique Fragrance

Let’s get started with some ingredients that you can use for your unique fragrant combination(s):

Citrus Delights

All types of citrus are refreshing and can serve as the base of your air freshener.  I chose lemons, oranges and limes.  But, if you have a grapefruit tree that is overly generous with its fruit, they would work well too!

Create Natural Air Fresheners from basil

A Touch of Herbs

Now let’s grab some herbs for your natural air fresheners from the garden or the grocery store).

  1. Basil
Create Natural Air Fresheners from Thyme

2. Thyme

Create Natural Air Fresheners from mint

3. Mint

Rosemary and lavender would also work great. I also use vanilla extract and peppercorns in my mixtures.

Ingredients for air fresheners

Crafting Your Natural Air Freshener

Here are a few that I made.

Cooking (and eating) Italian food is some of my favorite – even though I have no Italian ancestry that I know of.  

I used 1 sprig of basil, 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns and a few slices of lemon – it makes my home smell fresh as I imagine an Italian kitchen would smell like.

Add these ingredients to jars and fill them with water to the top. For this project, I used Ball mason jars.

Lemon and basil scented Italian freshener

I think it looks pretty, don’t you? Of course, if you are going to use use them right away, skip the jar and add directly to a small pot. Pour more water until it reaches 3/4 full, heat to boiling, lower the heat to low and enjoy for a few hours – KEEP an eye on the water level and add more as needed – DON’T let it dry out.

Lime, thyme, and mint in a ball jar

More Natural Fragrance Combinations

Here is another combination that I like.

A few slices of lime, 4 – 5 sprigs of thyme, a sprig of mint and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

You can make one air freshener at a time, or create a few and store them in the refrigerator for a week. You can freeze them for longer until ready to use – just make sure to freeze them in a freezer-safe container such as a wide-mouth jar.

Lastly, this is my favorite combination, and only has two ingredients.

Oranges and vanilla extract

Oranges and vanilla extract.

I sliced half an orange and added 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

The fragrance reminds me of orange cream – YUM!

You can also add cinnamon sticks or a few whole cloves to this mixture for a spicier fragrance.

Oranges and vanilla extract

Exploring Natural Fragrance Variations

If you have ever stepped into a Williams & Sonoma store, they have their own natural air freshener recipe:

  • Lemon slices
  • Rosemary sprigs
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

In addition to the ingredients I’ve used, here are some others that you can experiment with to create your own unique natural air freshener.

Citrus or apple peels, almond, coconut, or peppermint extract along with herbs like ginger, nutmeg, ground cinnamon, whole cloves, bay leaves, basil, sage, lavender, oregano, and rosemary.

Create Natural Air Fresheners From the Garden

Freshen Your Home Naturally

So if you want to add a little freshness to your home, don’t waste your time spraying artificial fragrance through your home. You can create wonderful combinations of scents using items from your garden, refrigerator, and pantry.

I hope you enjoy making these natural air fresheners as much as I do!

5 Surprising Ways to Use Citrus Fruit For Home and Kitchen

Citrus Trees Dropping Tiny, Green Fruit

The Joy of Growing Citrus Trees

Do you have a citrus trees in your garden? I do.

I have two trees – a Meyer lemon and a brand new ‘Trovita’ orange tree. I use the citrus in all kinds of fun ways and the trees have become a family pleasure.

Nostalgic Citrus Memories

As a child in California, we always had citrus trees in our backyard.  I would pick lemons from my favorite tree just off the back patio. Later, we moved to a larger ranch-style home that had several citrus. I honestly never paid much attention to them, because as a teenager I had more important things to think about – like boys and how to get perfect-perm for my hair (it was the 80’s).

Embracing Citrus Trees After the Bloom

Now as an adult (with permed hair thankfully in my past), I do pay attention to my trees. Consequently, I look forward to the fragrant blossoms that cover citrus trees in mid-winter.

As the blooms fade, tiny green fruit is left behind, which are baby citrus fruit. When spring progresses, some of the small, green fruit drop to the ground. Not surprisingly, this concerns gardeners who don’t understand why.

Citrus Trees Dropping Tiny, Green Fruit

Understanding Citrus Tree Behavior

The Natural Process of Citrus Fruit Drop

Well, let me put all your worries to rest. This is a normal occurrence and not a citrus disease. Citrus trees produce more blossoms than it can grow into mature fruit. They do this in order to attract the most pollinators and after the flower petals drop, little green fruit is left behind, which ideally grow into large delicious fruit ready to harvest in winter. However, the tree cannot support that much fruit, so the tree figures out how much fruit it can grow to maturity and then drops the rest.

Managing Expectations with Young Trees

For those of you who have young citrus trees, I want to warn you that most of the little green fruit will drop. Citrus tree need a large root system and a lot of leaves to support a good amount of fruit and that only comes with age. So, if you see tiny, green citrus on the ground every spring – don’t panic. It is all part of the normal cycle of growing citrus.

While most of the garden is asleep in winter, citrus trees are filled with sweet, tart fruit ready for picking.

Creative Ways To Get the Most Out of Citrus

Citrus trees are very generous in the amount of fruit that they produce. So much so, that people are often inundated with more citrus than they can eat.

Creative Ways To Get the Most Out of Citrus

This time of year, people find bags and even boxes of freshly-picked citrus left at their door by neighbors who are happy to share their bounty. 

So, whether you have boxes of citrus or have to run to the grocery store for your favorite lemons and oranges – here are some creative ways to use citrus.

1. Freezing Lemon Zest

Freezing Lemon Zest

Lemon zest adds great flavor to your favorite foods and it is easy to freeze.

Simply put the lemon zest in a plastic freezer bag and keep in the freezer for up to a year.  

2. Natural Lemon Freshener

Natural Lemon Freshener
Natural Lemon Freshener

The fresh scent of lemon is welcoming when you walk into a room.  Instead of using artificial air fresheners, you can use citrus to create natural ones.

Ingredients such as basil, lemon slices, and peppercorns OR orange slices with vanilla create wonderful fragrances.

Add the ingredients to a small pot, fill to 3/4 full with water, and heat to boiling.  Then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and enjoy the fragrance for the next couple of hours.

Click here for more information and combinations for natural air fresheners.

3. Household Citrus Cleaner

Household Citrus Cleaner

Citrus peels and vinegar combine to create a natural citrus cleaner that is suitable to use around the house.

You will need the peels from any type of citrus and white distilled vinegar.

– Fill a large jar (or container) with the citrus peels and fill the jar with vinegar.

– Store in a cool, dark place for 3 weeks.

– After 3 weeks, pour the mixture through a strainer to remove any pulp.

– Transfer the citrus/vinegar mixture to a spray bottle, filling it halfway.  Add water to fill the rest of the spray bottle.

– Your natural citrus cleaner is ready to use to wherever vinegar-based cleaners are safe to use such as countertops, walls, faucets, mirrors, and glass.  Don’t use on granite or marble as the vinegar can etch the surface.

*The peels can be frozen for use later.

4. Frozen Citrus Ice Cubes

Frozen Citrus Ice Cubes

An easy way to preserve lemons from your tree when the fruit is but a distant memory – add lemon juice to ice cube trays and freeze.

Once frozen, pop out the lemon ice cubes and place in a plastic freezer bag and store for future use.  These ice cubes are a great way to add lemon when you cook throughout the entire year.  

Creative Ways To Get the Most Out of Citrus
Creative Ways To Get the Most Out of Citrus

If you love to cook, lemon salt is a great way to add subtle lemon flavor to your favorite dishes and it’s easy to make – all you need is kosher salt and lemons.

If you love to cook, lemon salt is a great way to add subtle lemon flavor to your favorite dishes and it’s easy to make – all you need is kosher salt and lemons.

So do you think ? These are some best creative ways to use citrus?

Do you have any ways that you like to use citrus?

Make Your Own DIY Citrus Salt

Do you have a lemon or other type of citrus tree growing in your backyard?

Chances are, if you live in California, the Southwest or Southeastern United States, you do or your neighbor does.

While many people throughout the rest of the nation are waiting for snow to disappear, we get to enjoy the sight of colorful citrus fruit hanging from our trees, just ready to be picked and enjoyed.

During this time of year, neighbors give bags of excess fruit to neighbors or local food banks.

I have a young lemon tree, that isn’t old enough to produce fruit for me, but that hasn’t stopped me from having lemons to use.

Make Your Own DIY Citrus Salt

Between my mother’s prolific lemon tree on the family farm to those from my vet (who happens to be our neighbor), I have plenty to use.

I’ve used lemons in a variety of ways from freezing the zest, the juice, making citrus cleaner, natural air fresheners and was looking for another way to use them.

Make Your Own DIY Citrus Salt

I recently learned about lemon salt and how great it tastes on my favorite dishes – chicken, fish, homemade salad dressings, salsa and much more – basically anything that you want to add a hint of citrus and salt too.

Making lemon salt is very easy to do and can be done using grapefruit, limes, or oranges instead.

Citrus salts make a great homemade gift and are also a great way to preserve the taste of your favorite citrus when they are no longer in season.

Whether you grow your own lemons or buy them from the store, lemon salt is easy to make.

Make Your Own DIY Citrus Salt

1. You’ll need 3 lemons and 1 cup of kosher salt.

Make Your Own DIY Citrus Salt

2. Zest 3 lemons.

Make Your Own DIY Citrus Salt

3. Add together 1 cup kosher salt, the lemon zest and the juice from 1 lemon.

(Of course, you can make a lot more, like I did – I had a lot of lemons and wanted to make some as gifts.)

Make Your Own DIY Citrus Salt

4. Mix together the lemon juice, salt and zest.

Make Your Own DIY Citrus Salt
Got Lemons? Make Your Own DIY Citrus Salt
Got Lemons? Make Your Own DIY Citrus Salt

5. Pour the lemon salt mixture into a shallow baking dish or cookie sheet.

6. Place in a 200 degree F. oven for a half hour. Then lightly mix it up and bake for another 20 minutes.

(If it hasn’t dried all the way, cover it with a clean dish towel and let sit overnight.)  

Make Your Own DIY Citrus Salt

7. Use your fingers to break up any large clumps or you can put it in your food processor and pulse it 2 – 3 times.

Make Your Own DIY Citrus Salt

That’s it!  I told you it was easy.  You can use it right away or store it in a sealed jar to keep it for longer.

Lemon or salts made from other citrus fruit last a long time – at least a year if put in a sealed container.

If you love lemon pepper, you can simply add pepper to the mixture for a delicious addition to your steak!

basil and herb salts

I’ve been enjoying making flavored salts for cooking with.  Last year, I made basil and herb salts, which were delicious too!

I have spent the past few weeks indoors whenever possible avoiding the desert heat.  While I do venture outdoors occasionally to do consults and take a weekly tour of the garden to make sure everything is okay.

We did lose a small tree and some branches during a fierce monsoon storm over the weekend, but I was grateful for the rain and the cool temperatures that followed.

Last week, I showed you some of my favorite plant photos.  This week, I would like to share with you some of my favorite DIY blog posts, most of which you can do inside.  

Natural Air-Fresheners

One of my favorite DIY projects was creating natural air-fresheners.

I don’t know about you, but I do not like the heavy, artificial smells of air-freshener sprays – not to mention the idea of chemicals floating through the air.  So, the idea of making air-fresheners using  plants definitely appealed to me.

“DIY Create Natural Air Fresheners From the Garden”

I hope you are inspired to make you own!

drought tolerant

Globe mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) brings a unique “cottage-garden” feel to the desert plant palette along with some surprises. In spring a flush of beautiful flowers are produced that will cause people to stop in their tracks. After that, globe mallow will bloom off and on throughout the summer and fall.  

This shrubby, perennial is native to the Southwestern areas of North America where it is found growing along washes and rocky slopes. They grow quickly and reach approximately 3 ft. X 3 ft. in size. Globe mallow is cold hardy to about 20 degrees F.

drought tolerant

Drought tolerant

Although most globe mallow plants produce orange flowers, they are available in other colors including pink, purple, white, red and shades in between. At the nursery, you will usually see the orange flowered variety available. However, some growers are beginning to stock selections of globe mallow in different colors. But buyer beware; unless specially marked or blooming, you don’t know exactly what color flower you will end up with make sure if you want a certain color to check for mark.  

Often, the surprise occurs after you plant them and wait to see what color the flowers will be. I bought four globe mallow, out of bloom, for my garden and ended up with one red, two pink and one white. For those who do not like surprises in the garden, you can wait and buy them in bloom in the spring.

drought tolerant

USES: Globe mallow attracts hummingbirds as well as butterflies. They serve as a colorful backdrop for small perennials or small cacti. Consider planting with any of the following plants for a colorful desert flower garden – penstemon, desert marigold, ruellia, and blackfoot daisy. This beautiful but tough plant does best in full sun and performs well in areas with hot, reflected heat. Do not plant in shady areas as this will cause them to grow leggy.

Globe mallow do self-seed, and the seedlings can be moved and transplanted in the fall if desired. They are used frequently for re-vegetation purposes because they grow readily from seed.

Globe Mallow

MAINTENANCE: This pretty perennial is very low-maintenance.  No fertilizer or amendments to the soil are required. Prune once a year to approximately 6 inches to 1 ft. after it has finished blooming in late spring/early summer, which will help to prevent them from self-seeding, maximize future blooming and minimize unproductive, woody growth. Globe mallow is not the type of plant to repeatedly shear into a formal shape. When pruning, wear gloves and long sleeves since the tiny hairs on the leaves can be irritating to some as well as an eye irritant.

Once established, globe mallow is quite drought-tolerant, but will require supplemental irrigation for the best appearance and flowering. My globe mallow plants are connected to my drip-irrigation system and do very well when watered three to four times a month, spring through fall.

Globe Mallow

ADDITIONAL FACTS: Historically, globe mallow were used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes such as treating diarrhea, sore throats, eye diseases as well as skin disorders. Their roots were used for upset stomachs and poultices were made for treating swollen joints and broken bones.

*Have you ever grown globe mallow?

Fall is Here! Time to Start Planting!

Citrus trees

In the Desert Southwest, we are fortunate to be able to grow citrus.  In early fall, your citrus tree probably looks like the one pictured, with green fruit that is getting ready to ripen in this winter.

It is time for the third fertilizer application to your citrus trees if you have not already done so.  Mature citrus trees require three applications of fertilizer – around Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Citrus trees require nitrogen more than any other nutrient.  I recommend using a granular fertilizer specially formulated for citrus because, in addition to nitrogen, they also contain micronutrients, (iron, zinc, manganese), that are vital to the health of your citrus tree.  Citrus fertilizer spikes are also an option.

If you choose to use only organic fertilizer for your citrus, there are some natural products available, or you can use composted cow manure, working it into the top few inches of soil and watering it in afterward.

GENERAL GUIDELINES:

– Fertilizer should not be applied to newly planted trees – wait until they have been in the ground for one year.

– Water the soil around the tree before and after you apply fertilizer.

– Follow the directions on the fertilizer bag.  Be sure that you divide by three the annual amount of fertilizer needed by your tree – do not apply all at once!

– When in doubt, apply slightly less fertilizer then you think you need.  You don’t want to over-fertilize and end up with fertilizer burn.  Smaller trees require less fertilizer than larger trees.

– Apply granular fertilizer around the perimeter of the tree, extending just past the drip line.  Work into the top few inches of soil.

– Do not apply a foliar fertilizer when air temperatures are 85 degrees F or above because there is a danger of burning the foliage.

– For mature Grapefruit trees, (over six years old), apply only 1/2 the amount of fertilizer recommended on the fertilizer label because high amounts of nitrogen promote a thick rind (peel).

Get ready to enjoy the fruits of your labors this winter and get ready for March when we will discuss the correct way to prune and plant citrus.

Iconic Desert Tree, The Palo Verde