Fertilizer life? storage?

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sweettartnacho
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-18-2006
Fertilizer life? storage?
6
 Wed, 01-30-2013 - 9:50am

I have several bags of fertilizer, enriched potting soil, etc   that's been stored in a big plastic container in my garage.   

Trying to clean things out....

If it's been a couple years stored sealed - do you think it's still good?     

Is it kosher to move it to the basement?   Or is that NOT a good place to store it?     

:D

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thatyank
Community Leader
Registered: 01-03-2001
In reply to: sweettartnacho
Re: Fertilizer life? storage?
 Wed, 01-30-2013 - 1:27pm

My Master Gardener DH says that fertilizer tends to soak moisture form teh air adn clump up over time, but the potency hasn't changed. It just is harder to apply. 

I see no reason why it can't be stored in your basement but, if your basement is damp, that clumping will be accelerated...



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k_roni
Community Leader
Registered: 02-27-1999
In reply to: sweettartnacho
Re: Fertilizer life? storage?
 Thu, 01-31-2013 - 10:28pm

I've never had a problem with storage of fertilizers and bagged soils.  I keep mine in a lidded tub in the utility room.  I would not want it in my house; I don't have a basement (basements are rare in the Mid-South).  

Right now I keep trying to remember to put the gallon of Roundup away that is on the back porch...LOL!

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ca_dreamer
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-21-1998
In reply to: sweettartnacho
Re: Fertilizer life? storage?
 Fri, 02-01-2013 - 10:21am
One thing I'm not sure whether it's common knowledge. You MUST keep fertilizer stored where there is no chance of significant amounts of oil mixing with it (spilling). When this is done deliberately, it's called "ANFO explosive" and is used for industrial blasting. (Garages are generally not a good idea for this reason. DH once had the industrial waste disposal company he worked for called "My son was dumping used motor oil into an open bag of fertilizer; how do we get rid of it?" (The answer was, "The police bomb squad")
Cthulu Crochet

thatyank
Community Leader
Registered: 01-03-2001
In reply to: thatyank
Re: Fertilizer life? storage?
 Sat, 02-02-2013 - 12:37pm

WOW! That never occirred to me but... since my DH doesn't have motor oil in the garage (he isn't a car care person --- he hires that out!) , I think ours is safe for now...

Great tip, though!



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Avatar for CMEvelyn
CMEvelyn
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-29-2012
In reply to: CMEvelyn
Re: Fertilizer life? storage?
 Mon, 02-04-2013 - 4:13pm

ca_dreamer wrote:
One thing I'm not sure whether it's common knowledge. You MUST keep fertilizer stored where there is no chance of significant amounts of oil mixing with it (spilling). When this is done deliberately, it's called "ANFO explosive" and is used for industrial blasting. (Garages are generally not a good idea for this reason. DH once had the industrial waste disposal company he worked for called "My son was dumping used motor oil into an open bag of fertilizer; how do we get rid of it?" (The answer was, "The police bomb squad")

That's kind of scary! I don't want anything that can explode anywhere near my house! Even the barbeque scares me, and I stopped using Linseed oil when I found out the rags I used could spontaneously combust!

k_roni
Community Leader
Registered: 02-27-1999
In reply to: k_roni
Re: Fertilizer life? storage?
 Mon, 02-04-2013 - 7:47pm

I was aware of the danger of explosions with fertilizer, but I quit using gas mowers 2 years ago.  So I have no need to store anything dangerous in either the shed or utility room.  Of course, having been the mom of a kid caught trying to make crystal meth, that was also a concern of mine for keeping fertilizer in the house.  

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