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thedarkness_gw

seeds in compost

thedarkness
10 years ago

i have often seen threads about weeds and the seeds in compost, but have yet to see one about fruit seeds such as cherries, apples, avacados, ect. i was wondering A) will they break down even though they have an outer shell specifically designed not to, B) will they sprout fruit trees in my pile, and C) what is the C:N ratio, and are they considered a green, a brown, or neither? thanks

Comments (5)

  • japus
    10 years ago

    Personally, I never worry myself about seeds.
    Fruit pits ? heck their difficult enough to grow under best conditions..
    My compost piles get to between 140 and 150 deg F.
    Some say 160 will destroy them, as I stated I don't concern myself about them.
    If the crop up in my beds I just easily remove them

  • thedarkness
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    i once saw an avacodo sprout about a 6inch root thingy , but then it disappeared

  • Kimmsr
    10 years ago

    Even though the shell that protects many fruit seeds is very hard to open they will when exposed to moisture, and sometimes freezing temperatures. I have found Peach, Cherry, Apple, etc., pits germinating in my compost in the past.
    Considering that seeds have everything necessary to begin life with no outside inputs for some time I would consider them a "green".

  • praxxus55712
    10 years ago

    Composting rarely destroys fruit seeds. I would imagine a long hot composting would do the trick. Not many fruit seeds would enjoy a few weeks at 145 degrees. :)

  • Lloyd
    10 years ago

    A) They might, they might not.

    B) They might, they might not.

    C) The seed meal itself would likely be a green whilst the shell would likely be a brown. I can't imagine an average household having enough of this kind of material to worry about them affecting the total ratio of a pile.

    Given the very wide range of types of seeds, a 'one size fits all' answer is not likely to be accurate.

    Lloyd

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