As the UK enters peak pollen season, TV Pharmacist Thorrun Govind and Rhiannon Moore from Toolstation have shared seven expert tips to help reduce hay fever symptoms in the garden.
This comes as one in five Brits suffer from hay fever each year, with the three main types being:
- Tree Pollen – Peaks during March to May
- Grass Pollen –Peaks during May to July
- Weed Pollen – Peaks during June to September
Seven expert-recommended hay fever hacks for gardening:
- Wear a face mask and gloves – Wraparound sunglasses or a mask can help stop excess pollen entering your nose and eyes when gardening. Likewise, wearing gloves can help prevent face touching and spreading pollen onto yourself.
- Check the forecast to avoid high pollen days – Most weather apps now have a built-in pollen indicator that can forecast the levels for the day ahead. These levels can fluctuate depending on the weather, the wind direction, and even the time of day.
- Avoid the morning when pollen levels are higher – On an average day, pollen counts rise during the morning, peak at midday, and then gradually fall throughout the afternoon. Because of this, it’s often better to garden later during the day.
- Shower immediately when back indoors – When coming back inside from the garden, make sure to shower and change your clothes to wash off any pollen.
Also, avoid sitting on any furniture in your outside clothes, especially your bed, as this can transfer pollen onto the surface and irritate allergies further.
- Keep windows and doors closed when mowing grass – Mowing the lawn can temporarily release more pollen into the air, so it’s crucial to keep all windows and doors closed to prevent airborne pollen from entering the home.
Also, make sure to dispose of any leftover grass clippings into a garden waste bin or compost heap. Excess clippings can get picked up by the wind which can help release more pollen into the air to agitate symptoms.
- Use a sprinkler to douse pollen – Gently wetting the lawn and plants can also help to reduce pollen levels as this can stop the pollen particles from spreading into the air.
However, make sure to avoid watering your plants late in the day as leaving them damp overnight will make them more susceptible to disease. Also be mindful of hosepipe bans and water usage during conservation periods.
- Mow grass often to keep the lawn short – This may sound counterintuitive, but letting your grass grow long increases the amount of pollen it releases. Longer grass blades produce more pollen.
The best and worst plants for pollen
Greenhouse and Gardening expert Lucie Bradley has also shared some expert insights into the best and worst plants in the garden for hay fever sufferers.
High Pollen
Wind-pollinated plants cause the most problems as their pollen is light and easily carried into the air which agitates hay fever symptoms.
This method of pollination is also the least affective since the pollen grains land wherever the wind takes them rather than being carried to specific plants. Common examples of the these include:
- Sunflowers
- Daisies
- Dandelions
- Wisteria
- Lavender
Low Pollen
Insect-pollinated plants are best, as not only do these typically have lower pollen levels, but they are also more visually attractive in the garden to help attract wildlife.
These plants typically have trumpet-shaped blooms where insects must search for the pollen, popular examples include:
- Roses
- Peonies
- Hydrangeas
- Geraniums
- Tulips
Rhiannon Moore comments; “As the weather starts to heat up, many of us will be spending more time in the garden, making the most of the sunshine. Whilst pollen is not something we can totally avoid since it is essential for the environment and wildlife, many steps can be taken to help reduce its overall allergic effects.”
