“If it’s edible, it’s compostable.” – Almost anything you read about composting will say this phrase or something similar like, “compost any kitchen scraps.” Oftentimes, a few paragraphs later come the contradictions such as don't add meat, dairy, pickles, etc. to your compost pile. "Aren't meat and dairy products edible and common kitchen scraps?" you may sarcastically question. While it is true that any edible kitchen scraps can be added to the compost pile, there are also logical reasons why some things shouldn't be thrown on the pile in large amounts, like pickles. Continue reading to learn about safely composting pickles.
Can I Compost Pickles?
Certain items, like meat and dairy, can attract unwanted pests to compost piles. Other items, like pickles, can throw off the pH balance of compost. While the cucumbersand dillused in pickles can add great nutrients (potassium, magnesium, copper, and manganese) to a compost pile, the vinegar in pickles can add too much acid and kill beneficial bacteria. Pickles also usually contain a lot of salt, which can be harmful to many plants in high concentrations. Store-bought pickles are usually made with a lot of preservatives that can make them hard to break down in a compost pile. On the other hand, vinegar can deter many pests. It is also a natural weed control because of its high acidity. Apple cider vinegar contains many valuable nutrients that can benefit the compost pile. Many pickles are also made with garlic, which can also deter pests and add valuable nutrients. So, the answer to the question, “Can pickles go in compost?” is yes, but in moderation. A good compost pile will contain a wide variety of compostable materials. While I wouldn’t recommend dumping ten full jars of pickles in a small compost pile, a few leftovers here or there are perfectly acceptable.
How to Compost Pickles
If you do put a large number of pickles in compost, balance the pH by also adding lime or other matter that will add alkalinity. Compost with store-bought pickles in it may also benefit from adding yarrow, which is a plant that can help speed up decomposition in compost piles. There are also store-bought products you can buy specifically made to help compost break down. Many people who add pickles to compost recommend removing the pickles from the pickle juice and rinsing them off before adding them to the compost pile. You can set this pickle juice aside to use as a natural weed killer or keep it in the fridge as a remedy for leg cramps. Other experts on compost recommend putting the pickles, juice and all, in a blender to make a purée before adding them to the compost pile so they will break down faster and mix in better. Just remember to use a variety of things in your compost pile and, when using highly acidic items, balance the pH with alkaline.
Gardening tips, videos, info and more delivered right to your inbox!
Sign up for the Gardening Know How newsletter today and receive a free download of our most popular eBook "How to Grow Delicious Tomatoes."
FAQs
Other experts on compost recommend putting the pickles, juice and all, in a blender to make a purée before adding them to the compost pile so they will break down faster and mix in better. Just remember to use a variety of things in your compost pile and, when using highly acidic items, balance the pH with alkaline.
Can pickles be composted? ›
Yeah, pickles are sterilized - just like anything else though. Any canned food for example. Doesn't mean it will harm the billions of microbes in the compost. The vinegar will decompose fairly quickly so as long as you're not adding too much at once, no worries about pH.
Can I put vinegar in my compost? ›
Soil amendments, such as composting and natural sprays, enhance soil and increase nutrients available to your plants. Use just a little bit of vinegar and some leftovers in your kitchen to create an extraction that will give your crops a hearty boost!
Can you put cucumbers in compost? ›
Yes, you can compost cucumbers. As they've got a high water content, cucumbers compost down incredibly quickly – they won't add a huge amount of bulk to your compost heap but that moisture will help other things compost down quicker so it's all good.
Can I put sauerkraut in my compost? ›
The low pH of sauerkraut fermentation waste water can reduce nutrient losses during composting (Cao et al., 2020), and aerobic composting also solves the problem of acidification and eutrophication of sauerkraut fermentation waste water (Oldfield et al., 2018).
What foods should not be composted? ›
Composting Don'ts
Don't add fish, meat, dairy products, bones, baked goods, fatty foods or grease to your compost pile. These food scraps do not easily decompose and may attract animals.
Are pickles good for plants? ›
We already identified that the vinegar contained in the pickle juice is what can help acidify soil, so it seems that using leftover pickle juice can help soil around acid loving plants.
Are ants in compost ok? ›
As a general rule, however, ants are usually not problematic and are actually helping the decomposition process, so I wouldn't worry too much about them. As a brief aside, the material you use to keep ants out of your worm bin should be diatomatious earth, not baking soda.
What breaks down compost faster? ›
Adding worms to your mixture can help speed things up as the worms eat the food scraps and help them decompose quicker.
What should you not put in homemade compost? ›
Please do NOT put the following materials in your compost bin:
- Cooked food.
- Raw meat and fish (including bones)
- Dairy products.
- Bread and bakery products.
- Diseased plants.
- Coal or co*ke ash (a small amount of wood ash is ok)
- Cat or dog waste.
- Nappies, glass, plastic, or metal.
Yes! Cut them up into smaller chunks if you want them to rot down quickly – carrot peelings rot down super fast. Alternatively, if you've got chickens, rabbits or other small animals that like to nibble greens, you can regrow the ferny leaf part of the carrot plant by popping your carrot tops in a saucer of water.
Should you put tomatoes in compost? ›
Yes, you can compost tomatoes – they're essentially little balls of water and rot down very quickly – but do keep in mind that the seeds may germinate the following spring, potentially leading to rogue tomato plants in your compost heap or flower beds.
What vegetable plants should not be composted? ›
It is recommended that a compost pile not include meat, fat or dairy, as they might attract pests. Because they can create an unpleasant odor, onions and garlic should also be avoided, as well as pet waste and plants or weeds treated with pesticides.
Are bananas good for compost? ›
Yes, you can compost bananas – and banana skins. Before you compost the skins though, they can be used to nourish leather and to “polish” leafy plants – see Recycle This for more ways to reuse them around the home. And don't forget that overripe bananas are the best ones to use for making things like banana bread.
Can you turn rotten food into compost? ›
Food scraps can always be composted even when they're moldy or rotten.
Can you put grapes in compost heap? ›
Grapes rot down incredibly quickly in a compost heap (or in a fruit bowl if you've forgotten about them). Throw them on your heap, stalks and all. (It's away from the subject of composting really but if you've got a load of grapes set to go off and don't want to sling them, freeze them instead.
Which of the following foods can not be composted? ›
So avoid these for your compost:
- Meat and bones.
- Fish.
- Dairy.
- Poultry scraps.
- Fats and oils.
- Ash or charcoal.
- Garden trimmings with pesticides.
- Pet waste.
Use as a natural weed killer
While pickle juice can help acid-loving plants when properly applied as a soil amendment, the acid in the vinegar as well as the salt can be deadly to other plants. However, this makes it perfect when you're battling weeds.
When should you throw out pickles? ›
Visible mold: This is an obvious sign that your pickles have gone bad. Unusually sour taste and smell: If things smell and taste a bit more sour than usual, in an unpleasant way, this may not be a good sign. If you're not liking the taste anyway, it may be time to toss those pickles.
Are pickles environmentally friendly? ›
Pickling is an excellent sustainable shopping technique that enables consumers to reduce their carbon footprint by reducing food wastage.
