Don't Throw Out Your Avocado Skins! Use Them To Boost Your Garden's Growth

Many people enjoy the rich and versatile flavor of avocado in salads, sandwiches, guacamole, and more. Even though the skins and seeds (also known as pits) are inedible to humans, they don't have to go into the trash. With a little work, they can be recycled to help your plants grow healthier and stronger.

For starters, avocado skins are a great option for making all-natural, biodegradable seedling pots. They work for a variety of herbs and vegetables, and you don't need to worry about eventually removing the plants from the avocado skins. Simply bury the skin containing the seedling when it's mature enough — no need for transplanting. The skins will decompose, adding nutrients to the soil, and allow the roots to punch through.

However, the bigger advantage comes from composting, where avocado skins and seeds can provide necessary nutrients for rich, healthy garden soil. Both avocado skins and seeds are considered "brown matter," which adds carbon to compost as it decomposes. This carbon is helpful for the various microbes that break down the entire compost pile. Still, it takes a little effort to properly prepare avocados for composting.

Whole avocado skins take up to six months to decompose, and whole avocado pits can take up to a year, but there's no reason to wait this long. To avoid picking whole pits and skins out of otherwise-ready soil, break them both down into smaller pieces first.

You can effortlessly peel an avocado with the lip of a drinking glass, using the rim to scoop the flesh out. After you've made sure there are no adhesive labels or stickers on the outside, cut the skin into pieces 1 inch or smaller. Composting speed depends on many factors including heat and humidity, but finely-cut avocado skins can decompose in as little as one month.

Whole avocado seeds should be removed carefully. Using a knife to chop the pit out is one of the biggest avocado mistakes you could make, because it's easy to slice yourself open instead! Scooping the pit out with a spoon is much safer. You can also pop an avocado pit out with your bare hands. In either case, the seed can either be chopped up with a food processor or carefully smashed to pieces with a hammer. These pieces should fully compost in two to four months.