6 Tips for Gardening with Seasonal Allergies

Grow Smart with These Easy Tips

1. Put Time on Your Side

Pollen counts are typically highest from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. so try to get out into the garden at other times of the day.¹And be sure to check the local pollen forecast, so you can plan your gardening time when the pollen count is low.

2. Dress for Gardening Success

To help minimize your contact with pollen while gardening, wear an inexpensive painter’s mask, a hat, oversized glasses, gloves and long sleeves. And be sure to remove your clothes when you go inside to help keep pollen spores outside where they belong.

3. Put Down Allergy-Friendly Roots

Want a shady spot to read a book in your yard and manage your pollen allergies? Avoid planting hardwood deciduous trees that can aggravate allergies, such as birch, oak, elm, maple, ash and alder. Instead, stick with species less likely to cause allergies, including Crepe myrtle, dogwood, fir or redwood trees.²

4. Be Picky with Plants

If you have a pollen allergy, avoid planting sunflowers, daisies and chrysanthemums. They’re all related to ragweed and are more prone to triggering pollen allergies. Instead, opt for flowers that produce little to no pollen, such as daffodils, impatiens, lilies, pansies, petunias, roses, snapdragons, tulips and zinnias.³ If you’re not sure what to plant, ask your local gardening centre before buying.

5. Love Your Lawn

Avoid common types of grass that produce more pollen spores and can trigger allergy symptoms, including Kentucky bluegrass, Timothy, Johnson, Bermuda, blue, orchard and sweet vernal grasses.² Instead, try planting the female version of buffalo grass as it produces little to no pollen.

6. Lather Up

After gardening, take a shower to remove sticky pollen and mould spores from your skin and hair. If you don’t have time to shower, at least wash your face and hands and change your clothes.²