Storing soil in Rubbermaid-type containers killed my plants!!!

[Muleskinner]

Wow, I just learned a big lesson - do NOT store soil inside rubbermaid-type containers (20-30 gallon ones from the hardware store). Another common brand of these is Steri-lite.

These are NOT food-safe and outgass/leach toxic chems into the soil. I've been plagued by mysterious die-offs for years, could not figure out what it was.

It was the plastic containers. Don't even put bagged soil in these as the chems can leach through. Now I store my bagged soil in cardboard boxes and mix batches in a huge food-safe planting container.

 

[joe fresh]

im just curious....

i was under the assumption that offgassing was when the plants absorb the toxic chemicals, but if theres no plants growing then no offgassing can occur?

ive stored dirt in a rubbermaid 36 gal container for a few months at a time with no ill effects....

anyone else with more experience or knowledge to confim or rebute the fact that storing dirt in rubbermaid containers will cause offgassing?

 

[AugustWest]

i'm assuming this isn't the case with water storage?

i've been storing my water in Steri-lite brand for a long while w/ no issues.

 

[growingcrazy]

igloo coolers......the big ones. Best place to store and cook soil ever.

 

[geopolitical]

I've used them for years and years at a time with no issue.

 

[HAGs]

i gotta say BS. i know people that grow directly in these containers using soil and hydro and me myself have stored Promix Bx directly in these containers for well over a year with 0% issues!

 

[m00nchild]

With all due respect... how do you know that the mysterious die offs are because of the plastic?

 

[sneekysnakes]

ten years with mixed unused soil stored in rubbermaid totes not one problem. I also call bullshit

 

[joe fresh]

you know what i think the issues the OP might be having are caused from?.....humid soil with bad bacteria, and then stored, when you open that shit up it would be harmful to breath let alone grow plants with it....

 

[Yankee Grower]

i gotta say BS.

Pretty much agree. I think there's more to this story.

 

[BPJR]

Storing soil in Rubbermaid-type containers killed my plants!!!

Been storing my soil in one of these for years. No issues to speak of here.....

 

[DiiZZii3]

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=189734

 

[Shcrews]

no problems here...

no problems here...

Rubbermaid SOG

 

[Zen Master]

I have my worms in an 18 gal rubbermaid. been using castings and teas from it for over a year now with no ill affects.....

 

[CannaExists]

I have my soil stored in a rubbermaid container and... oh you know the rest.

 

[TurboDog]

ever look at the bottom of a plastic bottle? theres a number in the triangle it represents the chemicals in the plastic. almost all plastic even food grade is 4 or lower with 95% being a 2 or 3. Familiar with something called polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride? rubbermaid is proably a 2 or 3

1 – PET, polyethlyene terephthalate
2 – HDPE, high-density polyethylene
3 – PVC, polyvinyl chloride
4 – LDPE, low-density polyethylene
5 – PP, polypropylene
6 – PS/PS-E, polystyrene / expanded polystyrene
7 – OTHER, resins or multi-materials

 

[junior_grower]

well I store my soils in a sterlite, mix in a sterlite and run DWc in sterlites never had 1 issue?

 

[StealthDragon]

can we bin this?

I've seen TONS of grows in rubbermaids with perfectly healthy plants. I keep my soil and coco in rubbermaids. I keep my water in and nutes in rubbermaids. I've also grown hydro in them and have set up other growers with rubbermaid hydro setups with no plant issues.

 

[jaykush]

ive stored soil in them for years, and have grown in them with no ill effects.

 

[descivii]

Not to mention storing animal food/feed in them with no ill effect to animals as well. I use them for 2 40lb bags of dog food otherwise dogs will chew holes in the bags.....been doin it for many years.

J.