| I am often asked if it is difficult to compost large quantities of fruit like apples, pears, plums, etc. Is there any specific or unique way to add vast numbers to the compost piles? Everyone has an opinion on this subject, mainly where the ratio configurations are applied—as in the lasagna system of adding green and brown layers. The typical formula is one part green to two parts brown. Vast quantities of either fruit variety or bulk of singular fruits can add complications for some composters. My approach to composting large quantities of fruit is unique. I don’t follow any structured layering-I simply throw all ingredients in loosely. However, I am a hot composter who turns the heaps frequently, achieving very high heat this way. When l maintained an 800-litre compost, l ran it for thirty days or ten prime turns, and l would still be adding bulking materials until the fifth turn. Bulk ingredients include shredded paper and or cardboard, leaves, coffee grounds, shredded garden waste and, on occasion, horse manure. When maintaining the 1500 litre heap, l turn frequently – once every three to four days over 36 days or between 9 – 12 turns and l would still be adding materials in until turn six. Adding large quantities of fruit is a fundamental affair for me; I will continue to add the fruit or vegetables over the first eighteen to twenty-four days. How you add the fruit to the compost heap is also an element of discussion. Do you add the entire quantity at once or gradually, and do you add them whole, broken, or crushed? Well, it heavily depends upon the size of your compost heap or heaps if you run more than one. I run two, which equate to 2300 litres, so l could afford to split a large quantity into four units. If I couldn’t accommodate all the fruit, I would break the amount into groups and add them slowly every two to three turns or store the surplus in a separate container, allowing it to decompose and break up naturally. Over time, I would add it as a rotten ingredient. Failing that, you could put them into a heavy bag or a tarp, trample, stomp, hammer down, or even run them over with the car to mush them up and then add them into the heaps as a fruity sludge. Whichever method you choose regarding the fruit, be this whole, broken or decomposed, in layers or following no rules, hot, warm or even cold composting – it matters not, they will organically break down. If you have alternative composting methods like bokashi or worm farms, then utilise those as the prime breakdown or additionals. With two large worm farms and access to a lot of fruit from other allotmenteers, friends with apple trees, and so on, I’ve had the opportunity to add large surpluses of apples, pears, plums, quinces, and grapes to the farms and the compost. And the results speak for themselves-everything breaks down effectively, reinforcing my confidence in the process. My guiding principle in composting large quantities of fruit is ‘The Golden Rule of Bulk ‘. This principle emphasizes the importance of bulk in the composting process. “If in doubt, don’t scream and shout; just throw in bulk, and it’ll help you!” |
Effective Composting of Large Fruit Quantities: My Unique Approach
The Gardener's Curious Journal 
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