Your lawn can give you a lot of satisfaction, but it can also be a source of misery for people who suffer from allergies. Ragweed, pollen, mold – oh my! These things create all the sniffling, sneezing and eye watering that may be the bane of your spring, summer, and fall existence. However, there are things you can do with your lawn to help minimize your reaction to seasonal allergies. Here are some simple tips that may just help you to allergy-proof your Cincinnati lawn.
Avoiding Pollen
In Cincinnati, the pollen season can last from February or March until the end of the October. That can feel like an eternity to allergy sufferers. Tree pollen is the usual suspect when it comes to allergies in your lawn, and from late spring to early summer grass pollen likes to invite itself to the allergy party too. In the late summer and early fall, pollen from weeds likes to show up fashionably late and add to your hay fever misery. So, how can you try and avoid pollen? Aside from living in a bubble you can try these tips:
- Use your air conditioning and keep your windows closed.
- Check the pollen and mold counts and if they’re high simply stay
- If your allergies are really bad, avoid mowing your lawn or raking leaves since it can stir up mold and pollen.
- Don’t hang your clothes or sheets outside to dry.
- Try to avoid using hair gel and hairspray, since it can collect pollen.
- If all else fails, hire someone else to take care of your lawn maintenance (hello Lawn Love!) and take a vacation to a more allergy friendly area!
Time Your Activities
If you enjoy getting outside and working on your lawn you may think afternoons are the best time to get things done, but it’s actually the worst time allergy-wise. This time of day is when pollen counts are at their highest, so aim for either the early morning or evening for lawn care.
Keep an eye on your weather radar too, because rain showers can temporarily give a reprieve to your allergies and make working outside much more tolerable. Be advised that thunderstorms do not have this same effect, though. Thunderstorms actually kick up allergens in the air and can make you feel worse, while puddles left over from heavy rains can be a breeding ground for mold. It’s the stuff of allergy nightmares, really.
Make Smart Gardening Choices
Your own lawn could be a major source of allergens for you, so you have to take care if you suffer from allergies to avoid plants and trees that will only serve to make you feel worse. If you are thinking of adding new trees, grass or plants you should check with experts, like those at Lawn Love, in order to make sure they aren’t on the worst allergies offenders list. Everyone has different reactions to different things, but these plants and trees are generally safe:
- Sunflower
- Daffodil
- Magnolia
- Lilac
- Rose
- Dogwood
- Begonias
- Plum
- Pear
- Apple
Don’t Let Fall Be Your Downfall
A great breeding ground for pollen and mold is fallen leaves. It’s in your best allergy interests to clean up your yard and rake leaves as soon as you can. Rake leaves regularly and if you have to, wear a mask for added protection.
When fall gets here, don’t quit mowing either. Keep mowing throughout the fall and make sure you keep your grass at a manageable length so it doesn’t flower and produce more pollen for you to battle. If you simply can’t keep up with these lawn tasks in order to keep allergens manageable, here at Lawn Love we’re always happy to help.
Even the experts aren’t without their allergy issues, so here are a few pro-tips: If you’ve been working out in your lawn you should take your shoes off before you enter the house so you don’t bring the outdoor pollen and mold in. Shower right away too, since pollen loves to hitchhike a ride in your hair – which you should also try to keep from using gels and hairsprays in before you go outside to work on your lawn.
In the end, there is no way to avoid allergies altogether, but you can make them have less of an impact on your life by making sure your lawn isn’t making things worse. Following these tips in the spring and summer can make fall not only easier for you but make your spring a whole lot better too.
Lawn Love wants your lawn to be a source of pleasure for you, so if you ever have any questions please feel free to contact us!
