geraniums making me ill

gibson123

Slighty unusual problem, I have a sloping bed, that has a few very large clumps of geraniums that have been going strong for about 12 years now. They have totally taken over and need clumping. However last time I tried to do this (about 5 years ago), I went really dizzy, felt sick and ended up lying face down in the middle of them. My sister had to pour water over me and help me to bed. It happened on another occasion when I was hillwalking and sat down in a clump of moss, so i can only think that I am severly allergic to something in the geraniums and moss. Can anyone explain what is happening! i don't have a reaction to them in general just when I upset them, is it something that wearing a mask may help with. any suggestions would be brilliant.

sassysar

I have asthma and geraniums make me wheeze so they must have something strong in them

savemoney

Germanium's are members of the Pelargonium family

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelargonium

They can cause dizzyness in some cases. I have asthma but I dont think they effect me. I do grow them but not keen on the smell much like I dont like Marigolds either but grow both as I like them and fairly pest free although not this year


http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pelargonium-sidoides-side-effects.html


However, as is likely with any other therapeutic remedy, treatments involving Pelargonium Sidoides extracts may impart certain unsavory side effects. Most common among these are heartburn, nausea, changes in bowel movement resulting in mild to moderate diarrhea and certain allergic reactions (such as rashes on the skin, breathing difficulties, abnormal heart rate, hives, dizziness, headaches, unconsciousness, headaches, etc.)

valk_scot

Take an antihistamine tablet an hour before tackling them? I do that before I do any serious nettle weeding, I get a strong reaction to nettle stings these days tating from the time I fell into a patch on the allotment while wearing a sleeveless t-shirt. I got extensively stung and have been exceptionally sensitive to them ever since. I keep a couple of anti-histamine tablets in the alllotment shed just in case of future falls.

If you're getting random reactions to vegetation while out hillwalking it would be best to carry some anti-histamine tablets there too. They're easily availible without prescription as a one a day tablet. If your reactions start happening more often though see your GP, you might need to carry an epi-pen. You don't want to have to call out Mountain Rescue for a pollen reaction after all!

gibson123

My goodness I think I am going to have to get some-one to do this for me. One of the side effects include becoming unconcious and requires hospitalisation. As that is what happened the last time I stuck a fork through them, I may just get some-one to take them out totally, even if they are very pretty, any suggestions on good ground-cover that will cope with a wet clay slope please?

antrobus

savemoney wrote: »

Geraniums are members of the Pelargonium family...

Depends on what kind of 'geraniums' the OP is referring to. Given that the problem arose with "large clumps of geraniums that have been going strong for about 12 years now" I'd guess that they are actually talking about geraniums, as in 'hardy geraniums', or cranesbills, as opposed to pelargoniums, which aren't hardy, and would not likely be forming twelve year old clumps in anyone's garden in most parts of the UK.

peter_the_piper

Its natures way of trying to beat grazing animals, its a constant war. Plant comes out with "X" defence, animal over time gets used to eating the plant so plants evolves with "X" defence version 2 and so on.

gibson123

antrobus wrote: »

Depends on what kind of 'geraniums' the OP is referring to. Given that the problem arose with "large clumps of geraniums that have been going strong for about 12 years now" I'd guess that they are actually talking about geraniums, as in 'hardy geraniums', or cranesbills, as opposed to pelargoniums, which aren't hardy, and would not likely be forming twelve year old clumps in anyone's garden in most parts of the UK.

Yes I think they are hardy geraniums, they grow down the slope and over the retaining wall, I have pink and blue ones. I took an anti-histimine earlier and have pulled out most of the overgrown bits, but I am bit wary about sticking a fork in and dividing them, as that is when I experienced the problem before, it is also very wet up here today, so the ground and foliage are soaked, so not a lot of loose pollen flying around.

gibson123

http://www.cranesbillnursery.com/geraniums/Striatum.jpg

http://www.cranesbillnursery.com/geraniums/Blue%20Sunrise.jpg

These are pictures very similar. This summer each clump covered about 4 square metres, but there was a lot less flowers than usual, they pretty much flower for the whole of the summer, so I would be reluctant to take them out. Is there anything else I can do apart from separate the plants to decrease foliage and increase flowers for next year?

demystified

Gracious me I've never heard anything of the like... are you sure you don't have some underlying medical complaint? Have you had a medical checkup/spoken to your GP lately?

gibson123

Yes thanks for your concern, I have a non serious condition that requires regular check ups, after the last incident 5 years ago, I did go to the doctor as I was ill for several days, he said it was just an severe allergic reaction. The anti-histimine worked or at least it did until I was rained off.

A woman I worked with years ago was poisoned by a hedge she was cutting, I can't remember the type, but given Valk Scot's reaction to nettles, I am beginning to think it is more common that I would have thought.

I had a very severe reaction to a wasp sting as well, I ended up taking my lovely bee attracting shrubs out. I think by next summer and epi-pen or anti-contagion suit may be required before entering the garden.

I do love the look of the geraniums though, I will be sad to see them go.