Ah, the wonderful, sweet fruit of the Caribbean. Like most fruits and vegetables, pineapple breaks down very nicely in compost and adds some great nutrients. However, the same skin and leaves that protect the pineapple on the tree (and make it hard to cut) also take a while to break down. So, the answer is yes when you’re wondering “can you compost pineapple?” but there are a few things you want to consider first.
How to Compost Pineapple
The pineapple’s fleshy middle part, which is so good to eat, breaks down pretty readily in all states. Portions that you haven’t eaten or that have gone bad can be added to your compost. In fact, the sweet meat of the pineapple may attract worms which can help break it down a bit faster.
On the other hand, the outer husk and the leaves can take a while. So, you want to break these up into small parts to help with their decomposition. You can cut them up or throw them in a food processor before you add them to your compost.
Pineapples also tend to be acidic, so if you add a bunch of them, make sure to add some leaves, twigs, and other brown material to help balance things out.
How Long Does It Take a Pineapple to Compost
The outer shell of the pineapple can take three to six months to break down fully. Cutting it up helps speed things up a bit.
Can I Put Pineapple in Compost?
Yes, you can. You can put the whole pineapple in compost, but you want to do some prep work on the sturdier parts.