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AIBU?

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Original poster

…to chuck apple cores into the bushes?

58 replies

onflic · 27/05/2026 17:21

DH is of the view that they will break down or be snaffled by wildlife pretty quick so they’re not litter. I think they might attract rats or unwanted wildlife so should be pocketed. Who is BU?

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Burene · 28/05/2026 10:52

I think throwing an apple core into a bush while out walking in the woods is absolutely fine. This is the type of situation OP is talking about (as she clarified in her second post), not dropping them on roads or pavements in town.

isthesolution · 28/05/2026 10:39

My hubby believes the same. I disagree. Imagine if everyone had an apple a day and did that

BauhausOfEliott · 28/05/2026 10:36

I think they might attract rats or unwanted wildlife

If you're talking about woods or countryside, rats are simply wildlife. They're not unwanted - no wildlife would really be 'unwanted' in that situation. That's their normal habitat and where they're meant to be.

It's totally normal and fine to chuck an apple core into the bushes. They can be eaten by pretty much any wildlife from tiny insects right up to, eg, badgers and they will rot down harmlessly and quickly if not.

Brideofclover · 28/05/2026 10:19

All sorts of wildlife benefit from Apple cores or any fruit or veg waste tbf
Hedgehog birds butterflies rabbits badgers bees - you’ve a long list before getting to mice or rats!!!
banana skins are extremely beneficial to butterflies

DeanElderberry · 28/05/2026 10:14

I eat my apple cores. I'd throw the pips and the stalk in the bushes no prob.

Sunshineandgrapefruit · 28/05/2026 09:48

Fine if it's out of sight.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 28/05/2026 09:45

Moveoverdarlin · 28/05/2026 00:24

I have several apple trees and some of them have branches that hang over on to a country lane. Literally hundreds of apples fall on the grass verge and the road.

Throwing an apple core out of a window in to a hedge or bush or lay-by will do no harm.

Throwing litter into a lay-by is littering, and could cause wildlife to be run over trying to retrieve it. Apple falling off a tree is not the same as idiot throwing Apple core into a lay-by.

Multiplenames10 · 28/05/2026 00:34

Last autumn I really noticed how many apple trees there are in verges near me. I think there wasn't as much wind, so the apples trees were much more noticeable or I had just not noticed them before, but once I started noticing I saw them everywhere! Funny to think that in many cases someone just carelessly tossed an apple out of a car window years before!

ErrolTheDragon · 28/05/2026 00:27

Selkie33 · 27/05/2026 23:45

@onflic

Something your husband may like to ponder

She’s said it’s somewhere like a wood width no bins, he’s not chucking them onto a road. Obviously that would be bad.

Moveoverdarlin · 28/05/2026 00:24

I have several apple trees and some of them have branches that hang over on to a country lane. Literally hundreds of apples fall on the grass verge and the road.

Throwing an apple core out of a window in to a hedge or bush or lay-by will do no harm.

Theyreeatingthedogs · 28/05/2026 00:20

localnotail · 27/05/2026 19:54

But more often than not, I eat apple cores so there's only a small stick left when I'm done with it...

This.

Cosmo8329 · 27/05/2026 23:48

Leave no trace

Selkie33 · 27/05/2026 23:45

@onflic

Something your husband may like to ponder

spstchmu · 27/05/2026 23:39

Just eat them 😋

CoffeeAndCats3 · 27/05/2026 23:28

I eat the cores. The only thing left from my apples are the stalks.
I also eat the skin on kiwi fruit.
Waste not want not!

Arran2024 · 27/05/2026 23:25

My point was that vets advise against giving dog apple cores - i guess that some dogs might react more than others - and i wondered if it also affects other, smaller animals too, who might not have the same tolerance. Btw with grapes, even a tiny amount will harm some dogs whereas others eat them regularly with no ill effect, and I suspect similar happens with apple cores.

WallaceinAnderland · 27/05/2026 21:24

Somersetbaker · 27/05/2026 20:01

Birds and insects don't normally wait for fruit to fall off a tree.

Show quote history

My point was that fruits falls. No one comes along to pick it up and put it in the bin.

PrimeSeason · 27/05/2026 21:00

I would throw an apple core into the bushes of no bin was around. Either a little mouse will find it and eat it or it will just break down into compost.

BogRollBOGOF · 27/05/2026 20:21

I don't have an issue with apple cores in lowland areas as they're capable of growing and breaking down in that environment.

Once when I was running I passed a box of surplus apples in a front garden free for passers by. I took one, ate it and disposed of the core in undergrowth a mile down the road. No bins. Nothing to wrap it or carry it in. That apple could easily have decomposed in its original garden a mile up the road. No environmental harm was done by it being moved a mile.

(Shame apples aren't more portable for running fuel, it was very refreshing!)

If it was an upland area especially somewhere busy, then I wouldn't because decomposition would take far longer. I also wouldn't be in a position of finding one to eat in having grown in situ so would have carried it in and have the means to carry it out.

Branster · 27/05/2026 20:12

Arran2024 · 27/05/2026 18:15

Pips release cyanide when chewed. Vet advice is not to give them to dogs.

It’s absolutely fine. It won’t kill them. A dog would have to consume a vast amount of apple cores to get any kind of poisoning from the pips.
First hand experience, we have apple trees in our garden. For some unknown reason all our dogs over the last 25 years liked apples and they all helped themselves to fallen apples at free will. Lots of apples. Two separate vets have confirmed in this kind of scenario is fine. Out of our current 2 dogs only one likes apples. And he also gets the core when one of us finishes an apple on a walk.

Somersetbaker · 27/05/2026 20:01

WallaceinAnderland · 27/05/2026 19:58

Fruit falls off trees and bushes all the time OP. Have you never been in an orchard?

Birds and insects don't normally wait for fruit to fall off a tree.

WallaceinAnderland · 27/05/2026 19:58

Fruit falls off trees and bushes all the time OP. Have you never been in an orchard?

LilyCanna · 27/05/2026 19:55

CelticSilver · 27/05/2026 19:46

The routes of Roman roads can be traced by the distribution of apple trees caused by marching soldiers lobbing their cores by the roadside. I'm fine with it as long as it's out of sight.

Nice fact!

localnotail · 27/05/2026 19:54

But more often than not, I eat apple cores so there's only a small stick left when I'm done with it...

localnotail · 27/05/2026 19:53

I'm with DH. Slugs and snails and other critters will eat them in no time - its no different to leaves falling down etc.

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