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Gardening is a favorite past time and loved hobby of many. It is a simple and very rewarding past time. Usually one starts off with a good market brand of potting soil, fills up their pots and start enjoying the pleasures of gardening. But, there is a serious danger associated with potting soil. |
A virus named ‘Legionella Longbeachae’, which is related to Legionnaires' Disease, is found in potting soils. This virus can trigger pneumonia. In fact, this had happened to a woman in Washington. Such cases with individuals contracting infections from potting soil were also reported in Australia, Japan and New Zealand.
Again there are many who believe that potting soil causes skin rash. This makes it important for us to know the composition of the potting soil. Usually potting soil is made up of peat moss, sand, composted bark and perlite (for drainage). Some potting soils contain vermicompost, while others contain vermiculite for water retention. Most brands of potting soil have their pH refined, using ground limestone. This helps the gardener to get the best results with their projects. Since soil can be too heavy to grow houseplants, in pots, so often no soil is used in potting soil.
The components in the potting soil attract insects and bugs. These insects can bite you can cause a skin rash. Researches have shown that the composites in the common potting soil do not cause any kind of skin rash. However, it is advisable to clean your hands properly after gardening, because dirty hands can spread germs to the eyes, nose and even in the food we eat.
Common practices which help to prevent skin rash are good hand washing habits ensuring general cleanliness. This is particularly true in case potting soil, as they are probably breeding grounds for different viruses and bacteria. Some people might suffer from mild itching, but generally potting soil on its own is not known to cause skin rash.
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