Poison ivy gets the celebrity treatment when it comes to plants gardeners should avoid, and for good reason. Its three leaflets have inspired generations of cautious yard work, but several other plants can cause much more serious problems, from painful skin burns to severe poisoning if someone mistakes them for an ordinary weed. That does…
gardening safety
This Invasive Plant Can Cause Severe Skin Burns — Here’s How to Recognize It
Giant hogweed looks like the sort of enormous, dramatic plant that belongs in a fantasy garden, but getting too close can turn a pleasant walk or weekend yard project into a medical problem. Its clear, watery sap contains compounds that can make skin extremely sensitive to ultraviolet light, leading to painful burns and blisters after…
7 Red Flags That an Online Seed Listing May Be a Scam
A packet of seeds can look like a tiny promise in an envelope, especially when the listing shows a rose with rainbow petals, a sunflower shaped like a teddy bear, or a flower that appears to glow from the inside. The problem starts when that gorgeous picture has more to do with artificial intelligence than…
7 Plants You Should Think Twice About Touching With Bare Hands
Gardening usually involves getting a little dirt under the fingernails, but some plants can make that hands-on approach a genuinely bad idea. Certain species can sting instantly, trigger an itchy rash hours later, or leave skin dangerously sensitive to sunlight. A pair of gloves can turn a questionable gardening decision into a very uneventful afternoon….
Why Are Wasps Hovering Around Your Garden Beds?
Wasps hovering around garden beds usually have a reason, and the answer often involves food, water, shelter, or a combination of all three. A garden can look like a buffet, a watering hole, and a cozy apartment complex to a wasp, all at the same time. That does not automatically mean a nest lurks under…
7 “Natural” Fertilizers That Can Backfire on Your Health
Is your fertilizer a health risk? Gardeners often reach for “natural” fertilizers, thinking they’re automatically safe. After all, if it’s organic or homemade, how harmful could it be? But just because something comes from nature doesn’t mean it’s safe. In fact, some fertilizers labeled as natural can trigger health issues for people and pets, especially…