After a long winter, it's exciting to look forward to pulling out summer furniture when the weather warms up. But it can be disappointing when you pull out your outdoor items and they've been ruined by a rough winter and poor storage.
04.08.2024 - 12:11 / thespruce.com / Jodi Gonzalez
A backyard shed is often used by homeowners to store any lawn or garden items or it's used as extra storage for items that no longer fit inside the house. Although it may be easy to throw any spare items into the shed, it also isn’t the right place for everything.
We asked home experts about the items that should be tossed out from the shed, here are six items to look out for in your next outdoor clean-up.
Changing temperatures and exposure to moisture in the air can degrade many fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals used by gardeners.
Alex Tinsman, a gardener from HowToHouseplant.com, says if you have any chemicals, bring them inside to an air-conditioned space for long-term storage. Can’t remember how long a bottle containing chemicals has been in the shed? Then it's time to toss it. Remember to use safe disposal options in your area.
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Heat and humidity can wreak havoc on everyday gadgets since moisture can easily damage components and render appliances. Check to see what appliances may be in your shed and take any working electronics back into the house. If you come across outdated appliances, directly contact a business to repair or recycle them.
Leaving leftover paint in the shed over a long period of time can damage the remaining paint quality. Even if you do plan to touch up the color, it will not be the same as what is gracing your walls or other surfaces; chemicals will break down over time.
It is best to keep any leftover paint in a cool and dry inside space. Bill Nishanian, owner of Nash Painting, shares a few tricks on keeping your paint fresher.
“Once your paint job is
After a long winter, it's exciting to look forward to pulling out summer furniture when the weather warms up. But it can be disappointing when you pull out your outdoor items and they've been ruined by a rough winter and poor storage.
Got pests? Encourage native ladybugs to inhabit your garden instead of buying wild-harvested ladybugs to manage unwanted insects. Purchased ladybugs are expensive and potentially disease-carrying, threatening native bug species already living in your garden and the surrounding area. Your best bet is to attract and encourage native ladybugs to thrive and flourish, which will responsibly deter unwanted pests.
Mowing may be time consuming but is a critical part of maintaining a vigorous lawn. Healthy, well-managed grass not only looks better, but is more resilient to drought and other stresses. Proper mowing practices promote lush, dense turf by stimulating shoot and root growth. Lawn mowing encourages lateral shoot growth, resulting in a thicker lawn that is better able to combat weeds. These benefits are impacted by how often you mow the lawn. Mowing at regular intervals based on plant growth makes your ongoing maintenance faster and easier and ensures your lawn remains healthy and vibrant.
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If you have a large load of laundry you've been procrastinating on, I get it and let's be honest: we've all been there. But before you jump in, you may not realize some items that you should actually wash with cold water instead of hot water.
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