There are many things that can go in your compost bin. It’s not just for leftovers and other organic waste that can’t be thrown away any other way. Even if something doesn’t seem like it would break down easily, if it was alive at one point and is made of plant materials, you can probably compost it.
Although, there are some things that will keep your compost from working well. If you want to get the most out of your compost, you should avoid putting certain things in it.
If you’ve found yourself wondering “are pineapples compostable?”, “how do I do it?” and “how long will they take to compost?”: you’ve come to the right place.
Can you put pineapples in the compost?
Yes, pineapples are compostable. Adding pineapples to your compost pile will contribute to creating a nutrient-rich fertiliser that you can use in your garden.
Can you put them in the waste bin?
If you don’t have a compost bin, you can put fruit in the appropriate roadside collection bin but biodegradable materials like pineapples are better off being in a compost pile.
Disposing of organic or compostable waste like fruit in landfill can contribute to the release of potent greenhouse gases like methane, which has around 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide.
Methane emissions are significantly reduced by composting suitable food waste and organic materials.
How to compost pineapples
You should chop it up into smaller pieces to help it decompose quicker.
As a green material, you should be adding pineapples and other green nitrogen-rich materials then a layer of brown to cover it. Remember to use a garden fork or a stick to poke holes in your compost every couple of weeks to mix the pile up.
How long will pineapples take to compost?
It takes up to 6 months for pineapples to completely decompose in a compost. Because they take a while to break down, you should avoid putting too many in at once.
Pineapples discarded on the ground or buried in the ground will take longer to decompose.
Are pineapples a green or brown material?
Pineapples should be considered a green material when composting.
Materials that are green, like pineapples, are often more wet and softer recently-living organic material; and are a source of nitrogen (one of the four essential ingredients) for your compost. Green nitrogen-rich materials provide a lot of the vital nutrients that microbes need to speed up the process of decomposition. Ideally your compost mix should consist of about 1 part of green material for every 4 parts of brown material.
Composts rely on green materials like pineapples to add the neccessary proteins and other nourishment for the microbes to thrive to the pile.
Will composting them attract pests?
No. Pineapples will not attract pests. However it may attract insects if your compost pile is not suitably covered.
Composting considerations
When composting pineapples, you should avoid adding too much pineapple and other citrus fruit as they will overload the compost by changing the pH level.
