How long does a banana peel take to decompose on a hiking trail?

Up to around two years in typical mountain environments. Cold, high-altitude conditions can slow it down even further because there aren't enough microbes, warmth, or moisture to break it down like they would in your garden compost bin.

Is it OK to throw apple cores on the ground when hiking?

No, you should carry them out. While apple cores break down faster than banana peels—typically over several weeks to a few months—they'll still be visible for multiple seasons in cold, exposed conditions, and they're not part of the natural upland ecosystem.

Why does fruit decompose slower in the mountains than in my garden?

Mountain environments lack the warmth, moisture, soil microbes, and invertebrates that make your compost bin work efficiently. Exposed hillsides are often cold, can freeze in winter or dry out in summer, and have thin, acidic soils with far less microbial activity.

Food for the Fells

The Banana Peel Timeline: How Long ‘Biodegradable’ Actually Takes

Banana skins, orange peel and apple cores are organic, but decomposition on a cold, windswept fell takes months or even years—not the week or two most walkers assume. What rots quickly in a compost bin doesn't behave the same way on exposed rock.

26 August 20267 min read