If you eat a lot of avocados or make a lot of guacamole, you might end up with a lot of peels and pits in your trash. Is there something you can do with all this? As a matter of fact, there is!.
As avocados surge in popularity, so does the question of what to do with the giant pits left behind Composting offers an eco-friendly solution for this common kitchen waste Avocado pits can be composted at home, contributing beneficial nutrients to your garden. Here’s how to make the most of this underutilized food scrap.
Why Compost Avocado Pits?
Composting helps reduce the amount of organic waste sent to landfills. Over one third of what gets tossed from homes is compostable material. Diverting scraps like avocado pits into compost is an easy way to make a difference.
Composting avocado pits closes the loop by returning food waste to the soil. As the pits break down, nutrients are released that feed and nourish plants. The carbon-rich pits help provide an ideal carbon-nitrogen balance for successful compost.
Since avocado pits take quite a while to decompose, composting prevents this slow-to-rot waste from lingering in the environment. Plus, active composting speeds up the process through ideal conditions.
Finally finished compost enriched by avocado pits is wonderful for gardens and houseplants. The nutrients and organic matter in compost improve soil structure and fertility. So compost those pits to grow better plants!
Can You Compost Avocado Pits?
Absolutely! Avocado pits are 100% compostable. The thick outer skin or peel of the avocado can also be added to compost. Avoid including pits from conventionally grown avocados if you plan to use the finished compost on edible plants.
Avocado pits are considered a “brown” or carbon-rich addition to compost Their woody composition provides an ideal balance with nitrogen-rich “green” waste like plant trimmings and fruit and vegetable peels
The main drawback of composting avocado pits is their slow pace of decomposition. But don’t let that stop you from giving your pits new purpose in the compost pile.
Tips for Effective Avocado Pit Composting
Composting avocado pits is simple. Follow these guidelines for best results:
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Dry pits thoroughly – Remove all flesh first so pits don’t get slimy. Air dry pits or briefly roast in the oven.
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Chop into small pieces – Break whole pits into chunks no larger than 1-2 inches using a hammer or cleaver. This drastically speeds decomposition.
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Bury pits in the center – Place deep in the hot compost core for optimal breakdown. Cover with nitrogen-rich green waste.
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Maintain proper moisture – The compost should be damp but not saturated. Turn piles to aerate and add water as needed.
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Include a diversity of materials – Balance avocado pits with a variety of greens (grass clippings, plant waste) and browns (leaves, shredded paper).
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Let compost mature – Make sure pits fully decompose before using finished compost. This may take over a year due to their hardness.
With the right conditions, even large avocado pits will eventually break down into rich, usable compost. Get into the habit of collecting pits in your freezer until you have enough to add to your compost pile or bin.
Creative Ways to Use Avocado Pits Before Composting
Before sending avocado pits off to the compost, consider giving them another use. Here are some fun and practical ways to get more mileage out of avocado pits before composting whatever remains:
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Re-growing avocados – Suspend pits with toothpicks in water until roots and a sprout form. Then plant in soil. Enjoy growing your own mini avocado tree.
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Natural fabric dye – Simmer peeled pits in water to extract a pale pink dye. Soak fabric in the cooled dye bath to give textiles a soft rosy hue.
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Skin soothing bath soak – Boil peeled pits in water, then add to bath water for a soothing, silky soak to nourish skin. The pit’s oils moisturize.
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Fuzzy house slippers – Stuff peeled pits into the toes of old socks. The natural oils condition and soften feet overnight.
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Crafty critter sculptures – Let kids go wild crafting fun avocado seed creatures, characters, and sculptures with simple materials like pipe cleaners and googly eyes.
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Unique stamps and prints – Ink up the cut side of a peeled pit to make artsy prints and repeating patterns on paper. Get creative with stamp designs.
Don’t limit avocado pits to just the compost bin. Give them an encore before composting with these fun and earth-friendly uses.
Troubleshooting Avocado Composting Problems
Composting avocado pits is straightforward when basic guidelines are followed. But you may encounter a few issues, including:
Pits stay hard and intact – This occurs if piles lack proper aeration and moisture. Turn piles more frequently and add water while turning to facilitate breakdown.
Pits grow mold – Mold on pits indicates excessive moisture. Add dry browns like leaves or straw to soak up moisture and provide airflow.
Pits attract pests – Rats, raccoons, and other critters may dig up compost seeking large intact pits. Chop pits into smaller pieces to deter pests.
Pits decompose too slowly – If your needs compost faster than pits break down, sift out remaining chunks after 8-12 months and rebury in active piles.
Finished compost smells bad – A strong odor can mean the balance of materials is off. Adjust the brown to green ratio when adding new waste to restore proper carbon-nitrogen levels.
With attentive pile management, troubleshooting composting avocado pits is easy. Make adjustments as needed to maintain optimal conditions.
Using Finished Avocado Pit Compost
Plan on letting avocado pit compost mature for at least 8-12 months before using. This allows ample time for complete decomposition of the hard pits along with pathogens.
To test if compost is finished, the material should be dark, crumbly, and earthy-smelling. Dig a few inches down and see if any avocado chunks remain. There should be no recognizable pits.
Mature avocado pit compost makes a nutritious addition to garden beds and potting mixes. It introduces a diversity of macro and micronutrients that benefit plant health and soil.
Here are some great uses for finished avocado pit compost:
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Mix into potting soil for houseplants and seed starting.
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Topdress container plants by sprinkling over the soil surface.
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Blend into garden beds before planting.
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Make compost tea to feed established plants.
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Add to lawn maintenance mixtures to improve soil.
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Use as mulch for flower beds, trees, shrubs and vegetables.
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Incorporate into tree and shrub planting holes when transplanting.
Don’t let avocado pits go to waste. Compost these underutilized scraps to create free garden food that returns valuable nutrients to your plants and soil. With proper management, this common kitchen byproduct makes a worthwhile contribution to the home compost pile.
Other Avocado Recycling Tips
It’s okay if you don’t compost. These other ways will still let you use your avocado pits and skins.
- You can plant the seed in your garden and grow your own avocado tree.
- Grab the kids for these creative avocado arts and crafts.
- Get this easy avocado foot scrub ready when your dogs start to bark.
- Use the pits and skins of avocados to make your own pink fabric dye.
Before you plant avocado pits and peels in the ground or use them to make art, you need a tasty recipe to use up the green goodness inside! Check out our avocado recipe archive for ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Can You Compost Avocado Pits and Skins?
Yes! You can compost avocado pits, avocado skins, and even unusable or brown avocado meat. However, avocado skins tend to be slow to decompose. Use kitchen shears to cut the peels into small squares before putting them in the composter. This will speed up the process. Avocado pits take even longer to break down — grind them up before adding them to your composter.
If you’ve had your composter for a while, fill up your empty avocado skins with some of the rich soil it makes. These biodegradable “pots” make great windowsill-sized homes for herb, veggie, and plant seedlings. You can bury the avocado skin in the soil when the seedling is ready to be moved to a garden bed or a bigger pot. This will make compost right there in the soil.
Sprouting Avocado Pits in the Compost Bin
FAQ
Why not put avocado in compost?
How to compost avocado seeds?
What can I do with leftover avocado pits?
Are avocado pits good for the garden?
Can You compost avocado?
Yes, you can compost avocado. However, the flesh, rinds, and pit decompose at different rates so you’ll want to cut up the rind, and break down the pit before tossing it in the compost bin. Avocados are a “green” compost ingredient rich in nitrogen.
Should you compost avocado Peel & pit?
While it may not seem like a big deal to throw out that avocado peel and pit, it’s a good idea to compost it instead. Composting food scraps and other organic matter helps keep stuff out of the landfill that could be better used in your garden.
Can you put avocado rinds in a compost pile?
Avocado rinds should not make up more than 10 percent of the food scraps you add to your compost pile. Too many avocado skins will slow down your compost pile’s process. You can put the avocado pit into the compost pile as well if it is a dark or hot pile. However it may take even longer to decompose than the rinds.
Does avocado skin decompose in compost?
Since the skin takes longer to decompose (which affects your compost’s rate of decomposition), it’s best to cut the rind into smaller chunks. Tip: Avocado skin will eventually decompose in a compost, but it will decompose a lot quicker if you cut it up and incorporate it well with other brown composting materials.
