Just because you have allergies doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy gardening.

Just follow these tips:

If you have allergies to pollen, try not to garden on clear, windy days. These are the days that the trees and grasses are releasing the most pollen.  While the skies may not seem as friendly when they are cloudy or the weather is damp, these are the most allergy-friendly times to garden if pollen is your trigger.

When you are finished in the garden, take a shower and change your clothes, and wash your hair. You don’t want to spread any pollen around the house.  Leave your gardening shoes outside. Also, don’t change clothes in your bedroom.  Changing your clothes after you garden will send molds and pollens into the air and they will then settle.  You don’t want them to settle on or around your bed.

If you are allergic to mold, be sure to wear a mask.  Many molds are found in the soil.  When you dig, pull weeds, hoe, or do other activities to disturb the soil, those molds can become airborne and inhaled. The Q-Mask is perfect for gardening.  It fits comfortably around the ears, the pleated design keeps the mask off your mouth so it doesn’t get hot, and the nose and cheek area is form fitting so it molds perfectly to your face.  If you wear glasses or sunglasses, the Q-Mask won’t cause them to fog up.

Wash your gloves frequently to remove any molds or pollens that may be captured.

Keep grass short. Mow grass before it has a chance to make pollen.

The showier the flower, the greater chances it produces yellow waxy pollen. These types of pollens are not generally the culprit when it comes to hay fever and seasonal allergies.  So, choose plants that attract bees or butterflies for pollination.

Flowers or vegetables, the choice is yours. Don’t use allergies as an excuse not to enjoy the outdoors.

Cheryl