4 Ways To Allergy-Proof Your Garden

Are your allergies causing you to avoid your garden? For people with seasonal allergic rhinitis or hay fever, pottering around in the garden has consequences. According to studies, 20 million adults and 6.1 million children are affected by allergic rhinitis in the U.S. If you’re one of the millions of people who start sneezing, wheezing, and getting itchy and watery eyes whenever you head to your backyard, don’t fret. There are ways to allergy-proof your garden and remove the irritants that are the source of your discomfort. Follow these tips to allergy-proof your garden.

Mow the lawn

One of the best ways to allergy-proof your garden is to get your reel, push, or electric lawn mower and mow the lawn. Trim the grass often and keep it no longer than 2 inches so that the grass won’t be able to produce pollen and flowers. Wear protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts, a hat, and a breathing mask. If you have very bad allergies, it might be a good idea to ask someone else to mow the lawn for you.

Don’t plant strongly scented flowers

Having a sweet-smelling garden may seem like a great idea, but fragrant blooms can possibly trigger your allergies. Flowers such as lilacs, violets, freesia, magnolia, sweet pea, and gardenias give off wonderful scents, but they can aggravate allergies. Instead, plant allergy-friendly plants and flowers such as daffodil, hosta, hydrangea, geranium, and periwinkle. Some variants of these flowers are unscented and won’t cause you to tear up or sneeze while you’re in the garden.

Get rid of mold

Mold is another factor that can trigger your allergies, so check your garden for any signs of mold. Mold can accumulate in compost bins, and it can also be found in plants and vegetables as a form of fungal disease. To kill mold in your garden, clear your outdoor space of weeds, and apply a fungicide on affected plants. It’s also a good idea not to crowd your plants when planting to allow air to circulate around the plants’ leaves and stems and this will prevent the growth of mold.

Choose your gardening time

Don’t garden in the afternoon in spring or early mornings in fall as pollen count tend to be highest during these times. Never garden when it’s windy as pollen can blow in from other yards and right into your outdoor space. After gardening, don’t let pollen contaminate your home by washing up or taking a shower. You should also wash your clothes to prevent an allergy attack.

Try these tips to prevent allergy attacks while you’re outdoors. Allergy-proof your garden as often as possible and take measures to avoid triggering your allergies so you can enjoy your backyard and stay comfortable while you’re outside.