TIPS FROM THE PLANT DOCTOR

Safe Storage and Disposal of Your Garden Chemicals

Even though it’s almost winter, your garden chores are not over! Winter is the best time to go through your supplies of lawn and garden chemicals. A garden pesticide stored too long or under improper conditions can be harmful to your plants and to your health. Breakage due to freezing and/or improper storage can cause harmful gases to enter your home. Fertilizer stored in a moist environment can cause significant damage to the concrete floor in your garage and to your home’s wood framing.

Pesticides have a shelf life which varies due to the storage condition. The optimal conditions to store pesticides are from 45 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with low humidity, and no exposure to sunlight. The environment in Nevada provides low humidity but not stable temperature and light. Most pesticides have a shelf life of two years if they haven’t frozen or been stored at temperatures above 100 degrees. Colorado State University Cooperative Extension recommends that homeowners keep pesticides no longer than two years. If the liquid products were exposed to freezing temperature they should be disposed of. This applies to all pesticides whether synthetic, botanical or organic in composition.

Pesticides with damaged or missing labels should be corrected or disposed of; labeling information must be readable. If there is an accidental poisoning, labeling information is critical to physicians. You may be able to download and print a copy of the label off the manufacture’s website. The information should be stored with the pesticide in its original container.

Weed killers which contain 2, 4 – D such as Weed B Gone or Weed Stop are volatile substances. If they are stored close to other chemicals they can contaminate them. These products are harmful to humans and can be absorbed by breathing in vapors and by contact with skin.

The Nevada Department of Agriculture has a free program which disposes of pesticides, namely insecticides, herbicides and fungicides. Contact the Nevada Department of Agriculture at 688-1180 for details. They only accept pesticides and do not accept paints, household cleaners or fertilizers. You may never dump any pesticide down the drain or into the gutter, even if you've diluted it. It is also illegal to dispose of liquid pesticides in a solid-waste landfill. The fines and clean-up are very expensive.

Empty containers should be rinsed three times and the rinse water used to dilute the concentrate for your spray mixture. The empty container should not be used to store any other liquid. You should put holes through it and dispose of it with your garbage. Pesticide containers should not be recycled.

Fertilizer should be stored in a dry location. By doing this it can be used safely the next year. You should inspect your fertilizer for signs of moisture damage. If you suspect damage, you should use that fertilizer at the earliest possible time. At this time there is no safe method to safely dispose of old fertilizer. Weed and Feed fertilizers should not be stored for more than one season. They contain 2, 4, - D chemicals and an open bag can be a significant health hazard.