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Here’s How You Can Transform Leftover Fruit Pulp Into Natural Fertilizer

Published: Mar 15, 2023 5 min read
A woman throwing vegetable cuttings in a compost bucket in kitchen.
Courtesy of iStock

If you’re looking for an eco-friendly way to make the most of your produce, then you’re in luck. You can easily transform your leftover fruit pulp into a natural fertilizer, perfect for any home garden or flowerbed. Making your fertilizer can be a rewarding experience, and it’s surprisingly easy to do. Plus, it’s a great way to reduce food waste and much better for the environment than store-bought fertilizer.

In this post, we’ll share step-by-step instructions and tips on how to make your own fertilizer. With these tips and tricks, you can reuse your leftover ingredients to boost the look and health of your garden. So, grab your leftover fruit pulp and let’s get started.

What you need

  • Pulp: Use any leftover fruit pulp from a masticating juicer.
  • Water: Use warm water for the most optimal results.
  • Bins: Used for storing the pulp mixture as it is left to ferment.
  • Shovel: This item is needed for digging holes when preparing the planting area for the fertilizer.
  • Compost accelerator: This aids in hastening fermentation and can be found in most home and garden stores.

Preparing the fertilizer

  1. Start by soaking the fruit pulp in warm water, allowing it to sit and swirl to help break it down.
  2. Place the soaked fruit pulp in two or more bins, partially filling them with enough fruit pulp mixture so that you can cover it up with soil after turning it over every few days.
  3. Over several days, turn the fruit pulp mixture inside the bins with a shovel, allowing it to mix and decompose further.

Adding the compost accelerator

Most accelerators will have directions regarding how you should use them, so read these instructions carefully before adding your accelerator of choice to the bins containing the fruit pulp mixture. Depending on what type of accelerator you choose and its instructions, determine how much of it you need and measure it out accordingly before adding it into the bins with the fruit pulp mixture. Once you have measured how much accelerator you need, mix it into the bin containing your fruit pulp mixture. Gently stir everything until it is evenly distributed throughout the bin and its contents have blended completely.

Finishing the fertilizer

For several more days, turn over your mixture with a shovel every few days, allowing it to decompose even further until it looks like the soil or compost material that is already in your yard. It's important to ensure the fruit pulp has fully decomposed before adding it to outdoor planting areas. Inspect the nearly-composted material for signs of complete decomposition, such as an earthy smell or the absence of chunks. These signs indicate that natural fermentation has occurred within your compost container.

Use a strainer or sieve to remove debris from the now-decomposed natural fertilizer before applying it to outdoor or other planting areas. This step will ensure that your natural fertilizer doesn't introduce any unwanted additional items into its final resting place, which can impact the final product.

Applying the fertilizer

Before applying your new natural fertilizer to any designated planting spots, survey what already exists to know where exactly you want to place your new nutrient-packed material. After scoping out your desired location, dig a hole large enough for whatever type of plant or seedling you plan on adding afterward. Be sure to dig deep enough so you do not damage any root systems.

After digging an appropriate-sized hole for whatever type of item you are planting, add some natural fertilizer material around its base area so nutrients can easily enter its system without causing harm.

Once you have applied your natural fertilizer to the designated planting area, cover any remaining exposed portions with soil or other related materials to prevent them from leaching too quickly. This will ensure the nutrients are evenly distributed throughout the designated area and last longer. The final step is to water the designated spots after adding all relevant materials, including fertilizers and seeds or plantings. This step will help settle them into their selected spaces and ensure they get off to a good start on their new growth journey.

Conclusion

Making natural fertilizer out of leftover fruit pulp can help minimize food waste and save money. If you have leftover fruit pulp from your juicer, why not transform it into natural fertilizer for your garden? With the tips and tricks from this article, creating a natural fertilizer will be easier than ever.