Kiwi fruit can be composted whole, cut into pieces or just compost the skin. Kiwi fruit that are old, soft and moldy can be added to your compost and they will be broken down quickly. Cut them into small pieces to help the worms and soil bacteria to break them down quicker and cover them with brown material to prevent ants and flies.
This article will explore how to compost kiwi fruit quickly and avoid attracting pests to your yard. Find out some easy tips and tricks to help you to compost your extra kiwi fruit.
How to compost kiwi fruit
Here is my simple guide to compost kiwi fruit at home. These easy tips will help the kiwi to break down fast and avoid smells and pests.
1. Remove the kiwi sticker
Before putting kiwi fruit in your compost make sure that you remove the sticker first. The sticker will be made from plastic and glue which will not completely break down in your compost. These plastic particles can stay in your compost and soil so take the sticker off and throw it away.
2. Peel the kiwi
If you are planning on eating the kiwi flesh yourself, then peel the kiwi for your compost if you are not going to eat it. Most people will remove the skin (even though it is edible) because it tastes quite furry. Peel the skin with a potato peeler or cut the kiwi in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
The peel and flesh are fine to put into your compost. If your kiwi has started to rot or go moldy, then follow the next step to prepare it for composting.
3. Chop the kiwi into small pieces
Chop kiwi fruit into small pieces before adding it to your compost bin. This will help it to break down faster as it will have a greater surface area for the soil bacteria to break it down. Soil bacteria will digest the kiwi fruit and the worms will dig up to break the bacteria and fruit as well.
Kiwi fruit is soft so will break down quickly. They can break down within 2-3 weeks if they are chopped into small pieces.
4. Mix them in with other food scraps
It is a great idea to add kiwi fruit with other food scraps. This will add a range of nutrients to the compost and eventually to your soil. Mixing a range of food scraps together helps to increase the nutrient range and helps to balance out the acidity levels.
Kiwi fruit are more acidic than many fruits and vegetables so it is a great idea to mix them with other compost ingredients. Mix through carrot peel, potato peel and pumpkin to help with the balance.
You can also add a handful of garden lime to your compost to help to reduce acidity and ‘sweeten’ the mix.
5. Cover kiwi with brown material
Kiwi fruit is considered a green composting material. Green materials contain lots of water which means that they need to be balanced out with lots of brown material. After adding kiwi to the compost pile, cover them with brown material such as dry fall leaves, straw or old compost.
This will help to absorb the extra water and help to deter flies. Ants will also come to visit and eat your kiwi if it is not covered. Dig it into the compost so that it is completely covered or sprinkle some brown material on top.
How to stop pests from landing on your composting kiwi
One of the problems with adding fruit to your compost bin is that they can attract flies and ants. It is important to always cover the fruit that you add to your compost bin with brown material. Cover the kiwi with straw and the lid to your compost bin.
Sprinkle on some garden lime to make the compost bin less acidic and less attractive to small vinegar flies or fruit flies.
Putting chopped up kiwi fruit in your worm bin
If you have leftover chopped kiwi from a fruit salad or a kid’s snack then it is fine to put it in your compost bin. Mix it through with other ingredients and other food scraps you have from you plate or from snack time.
Chopped up kiwi fruit is ideal because it has a lot of surface area for the worms and soil bacteria to break it down. Kiwi contains lots of fiber which will be broken down adding carbon to your soil and nutrients from the fruit.
Putting kiwi in your worm farm
If you have excess kiwi then they are great to add to your worm farm. Worms love to eat kiwi because it is soft and breaks down quickly. Use the same method when adding it to your compost bin.
Cut the kiwi into small pieces, gently dig the kiwi through the worm castings or cover the kiwi with brown material. Sprinkle straw, hay or fall leaves over the top to help to deter flies and ants.
Cover the worm farm with a worm blanket or piece of cardboard and add a lid. This will help to keep rodents out of your worm bin.
Composting Kiwi Fruit | Summary
Kiwi fruit is safe to put in your compost but make sure you cover it with straw, hay or fall leaves. This will help to absorb the extra moisture, deter ants and flies and help it to break down quicker. Worm will dig up from the ground soil to eat the kiwi and the soil bacteria.
Mix kiwi together with other food scraps to help to balance the acidity levels. Sprinkle on some garden lime to increase the pH which will also help to deter vinegar flies.
I am an accredited practicing dietitian, experienced gardener and a dedicated cook. I love writing and sharing my experience so you can learn from my successes and mistakes.