How to Use Potato Peels in the Garden to Control Pests, Enrich Soil, and More

You should never throw potato peels away. These food scraps are high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium—so they can work real wonders in the garden. In fact, you can use these foodstuffs for everything from compost to liquid fertilizer.

So, where should you start? Here, we spoke with gardening experts about how you can use potato peels in the garden—and why they're so beneficial.

Compost

Potato peels are chock-full of nutrients, so they're a great addition to the compost pile. However: "Keep in mind that because they are fresh, they are considered a green ingredient," notes Edwin Dysinger, expert gardener and co-founder and CEO of Seedtime. You'll want to balance them, then, with a brown ingredient like straw or leaves.

Also, make sure you don’t use skins from diseased potatoes, as these can affect the health of your compost pile. Also, if you don't bury the skins deep enough in the pile, the peels may sprout.

Trench Compost

Alternatively, you can create a trench compost system using potato peels. This is a great alternative to using the peels as mulch, which isn't recommended, "as the peelings will attract pests and vermin if applied directly to the soil," says Lucie Bradley, gardening and greenhouse expert at Easy Garden Irrigation.

Instead, bury the peelings underground at least 6 inches deep, so they won't attract pests as they decompose. “Gardeners often do this by either making trenches between rows of plants, or between them, where they can add the peelings and then cover over with soil," she adds.

However, with this method, avoid using potato peels that have started to sprout or are turning green. These contain solanine, according to Bradley—a natural toxin that's harmful in large concentrations to plants, pets, and people.

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Liquid Fertilizer

You can also use potato skins to make an easy-to-create, nutrient-rich liquid fertilizer.

“Place a handful of potato peels in a container with 1 quart of water and let it steep for four days,” says Dysinger. This allows the nutrients to leach out of the potato skins and enter the water. Next, strain out the solids and then dilute the remaining liquid with an equal amount of water, then apply it to your plants as a fertilizer.

“However, with any fertilizer made from potato peelings, it’s only recommended that you use it once or twice a month to feed your plants,” warns Bradley. If you use it too often, you can end up with an uneven distribution of nutrients in the soil.

Powdered Fertilizer

You can also make a powdered fertilizer from potato peelings. According to Bradley, it won’t spoil for several years, and can be either sprinkled directly on the surface of the soil or mixed with water to make a liquid fertilizer.

“All you need to do is dry the peelings by spreading them on a baking tray and putting them in an oven at 300 degrees for 15 minutes,” she says. Next, allow the dried peelings to cool and then place them in a blender or coffee grinder. Grind them into a fine powder, which can be stored until needed.

“The powder will be rich in magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus—all essential for healthy plant growth," she adds. You can add a teaspoon of this potato powder to a cup of water and create a rich liquid fertilizer.

Pest Control

Potato peelings can be used as organic bait in traps that attract garden pests—slugs, in particular, are especially drawn to the scent of decomposing potato skins. All you have to do is check the traps and dispose of the peelings and slugs, then refill them with new peels if needed.

Fungus gnats are also attracted to the smell. “Simply place peelings on the surface of the soil and the adult gnats will see these as the perfect place on which to lay their eggs,” says Bradley. Make sure to dispose of the peelings regularly, so they don't get a chance to hatch.