Plant Food Storage

Hi All.Hope everyone had a good Xmas and looking forward to a good (dry) summer.Will not be long before the usual debate of where to buy the best bags of compost.We got some from a large gardening centre last year.Plants grew ok but it was so woody and dried out very quick as compared to the Wicks stuff I normally buy,which was moist even when straight out of the bag.

With all this rain my shed as expected has a damp atmosphere,not normally a problem but I did notice a lot of my powdered plant food packets were sweating and the box getting damp.I purchased about a dozen large boxes of the stuff in Wilkinsons at the end of season for 20p each and by the time I come to use them they will be just one big solid lump.
I was thinking of perhaps buying some airtight bags and putting plant food in there or better still some airtight containers.The problem is I am not sure if this will even solve the problem.I could put them in garage or even loft but I would prefer them "handy" for as and when I need them.
Any one had and solved this problem,would be interested in your posts.
Thank you

 

Hi Trogree ,
welcome to the forum , keep always outdoor expecially if you got kids , break the solid lump at the beginner of the season and simply mix with water that will do the trick ,air tight can may produce mould and fungus on it.

the best compost is always the one you make , different compost for different plants
learn about the plant needs , some plants will need well drain other will need clay or acid soil , so it`s not about the compost but about the plant .

 

Hi Trogee,
Most of my stuff for the garden is kept in old ice cream tubs. 2.5ltr and 5 ltr tubs help in many ways, for seed storage and dry plant food to name but a few. I always put newly bought boxed stuff into these tubs before the damp gets to it and keeps it fresh and crumbly to use.

 

I think the word is hygroscopic, they absorb moisture from the atmosphere.

Over winter I tend to keep these kinds of fertilizer in doors in a dry atmosphere.
Once the growing season starts I put them in the shed or the greenhouse as the atmospheric moisture is lower then, but also you are using them, so its not such a problem.

 

If you end up with a lump, you could always use a food processor to break it down to powder again in Spring (but do wash it thoroughly afterwards!!!)

Alternatively, dilute it into water containers?

 

That's more or less what I do too. Cardboard boxes are no good for long-term storage.
I've got a screw top plastic sweetie jar (salvaged from school tuck shop) in the shed that's got bone meal in it and it's still dry after about 10 years in storage.

 

After 10 yrs, will it still have held its nutrient value? Or am I being stoopid?

 

Tastes just fine

 

I keep mine in those big fat ball tubs, and as pete says in the house, you will not be needing to feed this time of year.

 

As above I try and keep my stuff in the garage at the end of the season . If its in a cardboard box it still absorbs the moisture in the air a little , and goes into hard lumps. I find 30 seconds with my rubber mallet makes it usable again ! I presume it does not lose any of its effectiveness ?
If you do store your feeds etc. in plastic tubs please ensure they are clearly labelled and stored safely.