Is it possible to throw apples into a compost pit: fallen, rotten, fresh?

In fruitful years, apple tree owners are left with a large amount of fruit unsuitable for storage. The rich chemical composition of this plant waste makes it possible to make a good fertilizer from it, but it's important to thoroughly understand the process.

Can you put apples in compost?

Despite the plethora of ready-made fertilizers available, compost remains the most effective option, boasting numerous advantages. You can prepare it yourself by placing the necessary organic components in a container; as they rot, they form a mixture beneficial for garden crops.

Pros and cons

Apple compost is an excellent solution with several advantages:

• the fruits do not contain seeds that take a long time to rot;
• the contained nutrients accelerate decomposition, which significantly shortens the process of preparing fertilizer;
• The unique chemical composition of apples makes compost extremely beneficial for garden crops.

One of the disadvantages of apple compost is its tendency to make the fertilizer more acidic, which isn't suitable for all plants. To resolve this issue, adding ash is recommended. For every cubic meter of compost, use 2 liters of ash diluted in 10 liters of water.

Can you put fallen fruits into compost?

Adding plant debris to the fertilizer is acceptable as long as it's not affected by diseases or pests. Since this is precisely the reason why apples fall prematurely, such fallen fruit should be buried in the garden at a depth of at least 50 cm. Fallen fruit should be collected daily, otherwise caterpillars they will manage to get out of them and will continue to harm the rest of the crop.

It's recommended to use compost prepared from fallen fruit no sooner than two years later. This will allow time for any unwanted elements (fungi, spores, and harmful bacteria) to decompose, and the fertilizer won't harm the plants.

Can you add rotten apples?

Fallen and spoiled fruit can be used as fertilizer for garden crops. Even rotten fruit contains many beneficial elements that can improve soil quality and yield. Rotten fallen fruit can be applied not only to fruit and berry trees, but also to vegetable crops and ornamental plants.

Rotten apples are used as fertilizer in two ways:

• direct application to soil;
• adding to compost.

Fertilizer from rotten apples Prepare in a wooden box or plastic containerYou can also dig a hole at the end of the garden plot, choosing a well-lit spot. Line the bottom of the prepared hole with a layer of branches or straw, then lay out the apples, alternating them with soil. To enrich the soil with nutrients, add ash, weeds, food scraps, and a small amount of fertilizer when applying it. manureTo speed up the maturation process, use a special product – “Fast Compost”.

To prevent moisture loss, the compost pile of rotten apples is covered with plastic wrap. The contents of the pile are periodically stirred and watered as needed. The resulting compost the fertilizer will be ready for use in approximately 3 monthsThe composition is ideal for feeding strawberries and raspberries, as well as for use as mulch.

When you shouldn't put fallen apples in compost

In some cases, using fallen apples for compost is strictly prohibited. This applies to fallen apples, affected by a fungal infectionThe disease can be identified by a dark coating on the surface of the fruit, indicating the presence of sooty mold, or black spots, characteristic of scabiesThese signs are also clearly visible on tree bark. Due to the resistance of pathogens, the entire pile will become infected, making it unsuitable for use as fertilizer or mulch.

Gardeners who still decide to use the affected fruits give the opportunity to the compost heap mature for 2 yearsDuring this period, fungal microorganisms and their spores lose their activity. If this timeframe cannot be met, infected apples are removed from the orchard and destroyed.

It is also prohibited to use fruits that have fallen from trees that have recently were treated with strong preparations: insecticides and herbicidesIn this case, at least 14 days must pass since the last spraying.

Making compost with fallen apples

The process of extracting fertilizer from fallen apples is quite simple. The collected fruits are first crushed using garden tools. This is done away from the fruit trees to avoid damaging their root systems.

Step-by-step instructions:

Composting occurs according to the following algorithm:

• fill the container 1/3 full with chopped fruit;
• add dry leaves, straw, peat and water;
• place in the sun or in a warm place;
• withstand for 2 weeks.

After the required time, the finished fertilizer is mixed and used as intended. Usually top dressing apple compost is carried out as follows:

• a shallow trench is made around the plant, after which compost is placed into it;
• the soil is mixed with liquid from fallen fruits;
• the grooves are covered with rotted leaves or manure;
• The fertilizer is covered with a layer of soil on top.

Fallen apple compost is an ideal organic fertilizer for many crops. In a short period of time, it significantly improves soil condition, which has a positive impact on harvests.