Yes, you can compost apples. Peelings and cores compost down very quickly – when the flesh is exposed to air, it browns and decomposes quickly. Whole apples take longer though because of the protective peel so if you want them to rot down quicker, cut them into chunks before throwing them in the compost.
Citrus fruit, tomato products and pickled food products can do harm to your compost. High acidity can actually kill the good bacteria that helps break down the material in your compost pile.
Chop the unripe apples up first somehow – for instance with a spade in a bucket or borrow a garden shredder or go over a pile with your lawn mower. Layer the chopped fruit evenly across the compost and cover with leaves, grass, sawdust, cardboard – even some soil – but no extra water unless the whole pile is very dry.
Food Waste
Most vegetables can range from 5 days to 1 month, an apple core or a banana peel will take +1 month. While an orange peel will take +6 months. Pistachio shells are another one that takes a long time, while composting it could take 3+ years.
You can use the peels, rinds, and pulp in your compost pile, which is a bonus for those who like using their juicer frequently or enjoy having fresh fruit every day. Citrus fruits can be added to a hot or cold compost and will produce similar benefits to the compost.
Answer: You can add moldy food (vegetables and fruits only) to a backyard composting bin anytime. Mold cells are just one of the many different types of microorganisms that take care of decomposition and are fine in a backyard bin. If you're using a worm bin, you have to be a bit more careful.
Composting fallen apples
However, in late summer or autumn, there may be a larger amount of fruit to incorporate in the mix. If this is the case, adding them all to the heap can add too much nitrogen, and therefore slow down the process and lead to a mushy consistency.
QUESTION: Can I put fallen apples in the compost? ANSWER: Fallen apples are a good addition to the compost pile and serve as “green” materials that add nitrogen, though you should not include fallen apples that are diseased.
Store apples up to 7 days on the counter, then move them to the refrigerator. Keep them away from bananas and avocados as they speed ripening. Apples can be kept up to 5-7 days at room temperature on the counter, but make sure to keep them away from bananas and avocados as they speed ripening.
Worms like to eat many of the same things we eat, only they aren't as picky. Stale bread, apple cores, lettuce trimmings, coffee grounds, and non-greasy leftovers are just some of the foods we usually discard that worms love. Begin feeding your worms only a little at a time.
Dryer Lint: The collected fibers from your lint trap are still carbon-rich and will decompose easily in the compost, so keep a jar next to the dryer to make it easier to remember to harvest it with every load.
Composting Don'ts
Don't add fish, meat, dairy products, bones, baked goods, fatty foods or grease to your compost pile. These food scraps do not easily decompose and may attract animals. Don't use diseased plants or plants that are toxic to other plants.
Under normal circumstance apples can be added to the composting as and when they are no longer suitable for eating and this includes the occasional windfall during the summer months. Chopping the apples will of course speed the composting process.
Food waste (1 month to several years)
Banana or apple usually decompose totally in six months.
This apple core is starting to biodegrade. This rotting process is helped by the action of bacteria and fungi. These microorganisms break down the apple core into simple nutrients.
Even if you don't want all the apples, don't leave any on the tree over winter or any windfalls to rot on the ground. Rotting apples may result in canker or brown rot (Monilinia fruitigena) – a widespread fungal disease. It finds its way into damaged fruits, typically those pecked at by birds.
Because of the risk of the formation of patulin, it is recommended that dropped apples are not used for fresh eating, juicing, baking or canning. In addition to not using drops, use proper handling practices and gentle harvesting and handling to reduce stem injuries and the potential for patulin development.
While composting plant materials do produce organic acids during their decomposition, ultimately they will rise to neutral.
Banana peels are a great ingredient for your compost or worm farm, adding lots of nutrients to the organic recycling process.
Oh yes, grapes are compostable and are perfectly okay inside a composting bin. They decompose incredibly quickly inside the compost and can start to rot on a fruit bowl if you have forgotten about them. Grapes, their skin, pulp and seeds make wonderful compost, introducing nutrients to the final compost.