Allergy & Asthma Advocate: Spring 2006

Gardening with Allergies

By Clifford W. Bassett, MD, FAAAAI

Seasonal allergies may cause a variety of misery that will prevent outdoor and gardening activities. In most area of the country, springtime typically brings in the allergy season with pollinating trees, followed by grass and weed pollen, in addition to outdoor airborne mold spores.

The first step is to reduce outdoor seasonal “triggers” by identifying the plants and flowers that will cause you discomfort. An allergist will highlight which allergy-causing plants are problematic and develop an individually tailored prevention and management for your seasonal allergies after a series of diagnostic allergy skin tests. Now you may choose the “right” plants, shrubs and flowers that are better for you. By knowing your allergies you can also plan ahead and modify your gardening schedule. This involves having the knowledge regarding peak periods throughout the day to the culprit allergens as well as staying tuned to learn the pollen count in your town or city. Pollen counts from the previous day are available for main cities via the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) as well as in local newspapers and with the daily weather reports on radio and TV. The Web site for the National Allergy Bureau is www.aaaai.org/nab.

You may need to adjust your planting and/or gardening activities as seasonal symptoms such as itchiness of the eyes, nose and throat, sneezing may be worse in the morning for some affected sufferers, while others may be more affected in the afternoon and evening. Windy, dry, sunny and clear days may be associated with greater airborne pollens as wet, cloudy and windless days can see a reduction in outdoor plant pollens.

People who are unaware of their particular allergies (not yet been tested) often want to blame plants with bright, fragrant flowers even though these are often not the culprit. The plants that often cause allergies are those whose pollen is windborne and have non-descript looking flowers. Brightly colored, fragrant flowers usually have “heavy” pollen that need insects for transfer from plant to plant. Unfortunately, highly susceptible people may be affected by some insectpollinated plants as well. Some insect-pollinated plants do, however, produce pollen in large amounts that apparently are enough to cause allergic reactions, such as Russian Olives and Willows.

As a result of global warming, increased greenhouse gases with higher levels of carbon dioxide have been observed, as well as warmer climates, which may have an impact on increasing pollen release and production by plants. This may be associated with an increasing worldwide prevalence of allergies. For example, one ragweed plant may release and produce three times the amount of pollen as a result of “global warming.”

The Battle of the Sexes (of Plants)
Modern landscapes are heavily loaded with predominantly male-only trees and shrubs, favored because they produce less berries and twigs. Male plants produce the pollen bad guys that cause seasonal sniffling and itchiness, not female plants! A relatively new numerical scale can help to predict the likelihood of each plant’s potential to cause allergy. This scale is called OPALS, or Ogren Plant Allergy Scale. The scale uses a one-toten ranking system to provide guidance on plant selection.

Plant pollens are not the only allergens that affect the allergy-plagued amateur and professional working in the garden. Many molds and mildews comprise a large source of spores that affect people in the outdoors, seasonally, or present year round and need also to be managed. If there is an existing pollen problem in your landscape, replace that plant with a less allergenic selection.

Survival Tips for the Gardener
Here are some proven “survival” strategies to allow you to spend more time in your garden and still survive the allergy misery:

Wearing a pollen mask while gardening
Wash/shower/shampoo after spending time outdoors to reduce amount of environmental seasonal allergens being transferred into your home
Keep grass cut short
Avoid touching your eyes and nose while gardening
Plan outdoor time for rainy, wet, cloudy and windless days, which usually have lower pollen counts
After yard work, leave your clothing outside of your bedroom and brush off your shoes as well as rinse your glasses. Wear gloves to minimize local contact and reduce “irritation” to the skin of your hands and arms
Limit your gardening to short intervals on “high” pollen days
Avoid poison ivy/sumac/oak and consider barrier skin creams to prevent unwanted reactions
If you are allergic to mold spores, avoid damp places and stagnant water
Proximity and location of pollen producing trees, shrubs and plants will affect your exposure to seasonal allergens. A pollen-producing tree in your own yard will expose you to up to ten times the amount of pollen as would the same tree planted just down the block
Wear goggles and or pollen masks during “mowing” the lawn to prevent allergies
Keep your garden free of flowering weeds
Keep soil moist to reduce the amount of molds and dust that become airborne
Avoid straw mulching
Avoid allergy producing plants such as amaranthus, coneflower, crocus, elderberry, juniper, peony, poppy, and privet
Better less allergy-provoking choices for sufferers include: azalea, begonia, bougainvillea, cacti daffodil, daisy, dahlia, gladiola, Irish moss, iris, lily, marigold, narcissus, orchid, pansy, petunia, snapdragon, sunflower, tulip, violet, and zinnia
Keep high pollen-producing plants away from the doors of your home as well as bedroom windows
Reduce pollen exposure by wearing goggles or respiratory masks
Keep pets away from plants or trees. They may rub against a plant or sit under a tree and the pollens may adhere to their fur
Planting female trees in one’s own yard will attract and then trap incoming airborne pollen from male plants

Planning Wisely
The trend in “smart” gardening is to attempt to avoid large areas of lawn grass as well as utilizing more natural native plants or even substituting a rock garden in place of turf. Mary L. Jelks, MD, FAAAAI, is the author of “Allergy Plants,” a book providing insight into plants that cause sneezing and wheezing.

Different plants produce different levels of pollen. Once you know your allergy triggers (after allergy testing) then you can obtain a copy of the U.S. Pollen Calendar thru the AAAAI by calling 800-822-ASMA (2762).