fruit & vegetable scraps

Fruit and vegetable scraps are the backbone of nearly every compost pile — nitrogen-rich, fast to break down, and produced in every kitchen daily. Almost everything here is a yes, which is exactly why the exceptions surprise people: a few pits take years, some peels bother worm bins, and a couple of common garden plants carry compounds worth knowing about. The practical questions are usually about speed and pests, not permission. Chopping scraps small, burying them in the pile center, and keeping a rough balance with dry browns solves most of the fruit-fly and odor problems people blame on the scraps themselves. Look up your item below for its verdict, prep tips, and how fast it disappears.

compost it (51)

Fine in an ordinary pile.

banana peels yes onions yes orange peels yes apple cores yes corn cobs yes lemon peels yes potato peels yes pumpkins yes rhubarb leaves yes tomatoes yes watermelon rinds yes artichokes yes asparagus yes avocado skins yes beets yes berries yes broccoli yes brussels sprouts yes cabbage yes cantaloupe yes carrot tops yes carrots yes cauliflower yes celery yes corn husks yes cucumbers yes eggplant yes frozen vegetables yes garlic yes ginger yes grapes yes green beans yes juice pulp yes kale yes kiwi yes lettuce yes lime peels yes moldy vegetables yes mushrooms yes onion skins yes pears yes peas yes peppers yes pineapple yes pomegranate yes rotten fruit yes spinach yes squash yes strawberry tops yes sweet potatoes yes zucchini yes

compost it, with care (8)

Read the catch first.

avocado pits careful cherry pits careful coconut shells careful cooked vegetables careful mango pits careful olive pits careful peach pits careful potatoes careful

keep it out (1)

Every page says what to do instead.

produce stickers no