Your friends say you have a green thumb but does your nose turn red whenever you visit your garden?
Take heart for you're not alone. Over 35 million Americans have seasonal allergies and going outside can be a pain in the neck. It can lead to sneezing, a runny nose, and itchy, watery eyes.
Unless you have nothing else to do, you either stay home till spring passes or go out in a radiation suit! A better way is to read this article and learn how to avoid unnecessary exposure to pollen. That way, you can stay healthy and enjoy the pleasures of gardening.
Contrary to popular belief, the worst offenders aren't plants with big blossoms like lilies, dahlias and roses. In "Allergy Plants", Dr. Mary Jelks says you're likely to encounter trouble with plants that have small flowers. Surprisingly, these innocent-looking blooms release large amounts of pollen in the air.
"If you have plants that have pretty flowers, they attract butterflies and aren't as apt to create pollen because they are pollinated by insects," Jelks explained.
"Other plants that produce flowers for allergy-free gardening include crocus, narcissus, snapdragon, daffodil, hyacinth, pansy, tulip, hydrangea, daisy and sunflower," said Jennifer Warner of WebMD.
They say that too much of a good thing is bad. This is true in gardening where planting the same thing can increase your potential for pollen problems.
To avoid this problem, use different plants. This will make your garden more attractive and safe. "It's better to have a diverse landscape, with many different kinds of plant materials, many different kinds of trees, flowers, shrubs and ground cover," according to horticulturist Tom Ogren, author of "Allergy-Free Gardening." "Ogren says monoculture gardening also makes your whole yard more attractive to the one pest that is attracted by that plant. Once that pest or insect starts to thrive, they will begin to secrete honeydew, and mold spores will grow and stick to it, creating another allergy trigger," Warner said. Take advantage of local plants that are easier to grow and well adapted to the environment. These plants are less likely to produce more pollen and don't require extra care.
"Ogren says that's important for reducing pollen because when a plant faces stress, such as adverse conditions or a lack of water, its natural reaction is to produce more pollen as a means of self-preservation," Warner revealed.
Posted under Uncategorized
