Warning for new gardeners …..

I usually wear gloves for gardening, except for really fiddly stuff like seed sowing, prepping cuttings, pricking out seedlings etc. My hands still end up mucky though. The thin latax gloves are OK for a short time (alone or under other gloves) but they tend to make my hands sticky and uncomfortable (yuk!).
I don't suppose you ever found out exactly what caused your infection/reaction @glosmike ? Lots of things give me a dermatitis-type rash but a dose of antihistamine usually calms it down, or the antihistamine cream that I use for insect bites.

 

Aloe Vera gel works too so long as you didn't scratch!

 

@fairygirl @JennyJB ….. pretty sure it was the bagged compost as I’ve used the same sort of gloves all winter for the wood for our log burner without any problems at all. After I stopped using compost it gradually cleared up.

 

The stuff they put on hyacinth bulbs to force them makes me itch

 

That is weird as I was just thinking that I need a hatchet... and they have them on offer at one of the box stores here!

 

That’s interesting about the compost. I wear gloves almost always even though I quite like getting my hands in the earth. Problem here is that our rural garden has many bits of pottery and glass, though the large animal bones are becoming less frequent. I can’t remember the last time I unearthed a shoe, but do remember finding an air rifle!
Treated hyacinths make my hands very sore indeed, so I avoid touching any bulbs apart from food

 

I never remember to use the old tip of scraping ones fingernails along a bar of soap before starting work in the garden. It does work, but it feels horrible!

 

I've always found the distilled sap from agaves makes me fall over!

 

But then your fingers taste of soap all day and the tea goes soapy when you fish a fly out.

 

The NHS are all non allergenic latex gloves these days and there should be alternatives available for those that can't use non allergenic latex gloves.

 

I never wear gloves as I like to touch the plants, soil, etc, directly. If I get a bite or itch, I just rub in some Rescue Remedy cream ... and, hey presto! Gone.

Magic!

 

I am getting better at using gloves. My go to are the Showa 310 which are a nice balance of breathable cotton and rubber underside that's not too thick.

The current garden is so covered in fox excrement I can't wait to leave it behind me in a couple of months

 

Oh damn! I never thought to use the excess plants to make booze Too late now...they're making compost.

 

They say money makes the world go around, it's not! It's alcohol and has been for centuries...well it makes the room go around
Apparently, depending what region of Mexico you're in you'll find a Tequilla made with the locally available agave...not just tequilliensis...same with vodka from yucca...and I'm led to believe grapes produce an alcoholic beverage as well

 

One of your 5-a-day then!