Are you tired of suffering from allergies – especially in the spring and fall?
Did you know that there are things that you can do in your own garden to decrease allergy-causing pollen?
1. Limit the amount of grass in your landscape. Most grasses produce pollen that causes allergies. BUT, grass also can serve as a ‘trap’ for all sorts of pollen that cause allergies.
2. Use plants with bright colors in your garden. They are less likely to produce allergy-causing pollen.
3. Install plants with trumpet-shaped flowers. They aren’t only beautiful, but their pollen is located far down in the flower, so it doesn’t usually cause allergies.
4. Add plants with fragrant flowers. They are less likely to cause allergies.
5. Avoid plants that have ‘male’ flowers, which are the ones that produce pollen. Plants are either ‘male’ OR ‘female’ (dioecious) , have ‘male’ AND ‘female’ flowers (monoecious), or whose flowers have both male and female parts in the same flower (perfect). *Your local cooperative extension office can often provide information on allergy-producing plants in your area.
6. Mow your grass often – before the flowers begin to form.
7. Kill weeds or keep them mowed to prevent flowers from forming and releasing pollen.
7. Stay away from plants with small, unremarkable flowers. In other words, the more boring a flower is – the greater chance that it causes allergies. This is especially true for plants with small off-white or greenish flowers.
8. Check out “Got Allergies? Avoid These Plants” for a list of some of the most allergenic plants to avoid.
By following these tips, you can help to decrease those irritating allergy symptoms.