Are you afraid of your garden?

Discussion in 'Plant Pests, Diseases and Weeds' started by dirt2diamonds, Nov 18, 2007.

  1. dirt2diamonds

    dirt2diamonds In Flower

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    Hopefully this is on topic. Most rose growers should know to stay up on their TB shots because of the thorns and chances or punctures. My question is are any gardeners using any other/special precautions in the garden with these mutant viruses going around? We care for our plants, but do we fear any of the plant borne diseases? Do you think plant diseases should cause any alarm in these days and times? I truely think kitchens can be more dangerous than gardens.But I have so many little scratches on my arms, etc. and just had a spider bite scare going through 2 weeks intensive antibiotic therapy.

    Advant fearless gardener who lives yearly with blackspot :)
     
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  3. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    The only precaution I have ever taken with regards to my garden is to keep my tetanus shots up to date. I don't worry about plant diseases and have had no problems over the 30+ years that I have been an organic gardener and working outdoors. The tetenus is mainly in case I get puncture wounds from old, rusty nails or the like.
     
  4. Netty

    Netty Chaotic Gardener Plants Contributor

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    I was very careful in the garden when I was pregnant. There were many neighborhood cats using my gardens as litter boxes and I was afraid of getting Toxoplasmosis.
    Thanks all for reminding me that I'm due for a Tetanus shot!
     
  5. dirt2diamonds

    dirt2diamonds In Flower

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    It is funny that when the wet, humid rains of Spring come day after day I am a little more cautious in my garden. There is just something about fungus and mildew that creeps me out. There is a shady corner of my house that is so tiny. The spot grows what may be some bright happy green and a darker shade of luscious green moss and I hate walking there. It is only a place for two to three steps, but it is creepy to me. GO AHEAD AND LAUGH. I LAUGH AT MYSELF ALL OF THE TIME. Its fun to be a little strange. I add spice to life or maybe a little fungus and mildew :)Who knows.

    Enjoy nature and enjoy life.
     



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  6. Primsong

    Primsong Young Pine

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    Being an optimist or something, I guess I've never given it any thought. Only time I really worry about anything in the garden is when I have to resort to chemicals of any kind, then I wash, wash wash. Otherwise, I'm good...
     
  7. Penny

    Penny Young Pine

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    I always try to remember to use my gloves when out digging in my garden, i have far too many cats who seem to think that my gardens are their litter box...YUCK!!!!!!
     
  8. bethie

    bethie Young Pine

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    If I get a "hurt" I come right in an treat it so it doesn't get infected. You are right about the kitchen. When I work up some chicken I feel like it is poisin now. :-D
     
  9. girdhar

    girdhar New Seed

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    Hi, I love my garden very much and also do care for it . I always take precaution to prevent this my plants from harmful diseases. I do not use chemical fertilizers in my garden.
     
  10. buttler

    buttler New Seed

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    I admit that I still have a lot to work on my garden so yes, it's kind of scary.
     
  11. desertflower

    desertflower Seedling

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    WEll, I have never been one to be very carefull and have the scars to show for it. I did however get a nasty little fungus infection once. Had never heard of it before and it started out as a poke from a rose thorn. It rapidly started to look and feel like poison ivy. Then it spread up my arm and started breaking out on my legs. It itched so bad I wanted a wire brush.

    It is sporotrichosis. You have to take super saturated potassiunm iodide. Tastes really nasty too. When I finally went to the dr he asked if I had possibly been stuck by a rose thorn? I told him yes and he said it is the clasic way to get this fungus.

    Am I careful now? No I bleed everytime I work outside but I am learning what everything is called.
     
  12. Palm Tree

    Palm Tree Young Pine

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    Gosh D2D frightening - yes.
    This is a good reminder that one should always be careful and alert.
     
  13. cajunbelle

    cajunbelle Daylily Diva

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    I am 54 years old and have been in a garden since before I could walk, literally. Mom always had us out there with her. I can remember helping her start seeds when I was just a toddler. While I know there are dangers to gardening, I just try to use common sense. Right now I have a "few" overgrown places. I just make sure there are no snakes in there before I start weeding. I never pick up a flower pot or saucer by it's rim without making sure there is no spider hibernating under there. I have turned too many over and found widow spiders.
     
  14. CritterPainter

    CritterPainter Awed by Nature

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    Puncture wounds, I'm cautious of. But scrapes and such, I just scrub up thoroughly when I come in. Something that worries me about all the hyperawareness of germs is, the human bod will never build up resistance to common bugs if it's never exposed to them. Kitchen germs I'm fanatic about, and public restrooms. But my garden? Not at all.
     
  15. glendann

    glendann Official Garden Angel

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    I'm not afraid of my garden .I almost went to the hospital from a Mascaria (Centry) plant right after I joined the Stew.I sruck one of the thorns into a blood vessel and got a bad infection in just hours after doing it.I still love all plants.
     
  16. Palm Tree

    Palm Tree Young Pine

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    Ouch - that sounds painful just reading it Glenda. But you are right - when one loves gardenign one goes right back even coming back from hospital. I did the same - after my hard-learnt lesson I went back into the garden - pruning with that secateurs that 'taught' me my lesson.
     

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