BCSS - Forum

I'm doing a bit of re-potting lately and over the years I think I'm seeing a correlation between re-potting and my eyes going mad itchy.

I'd mostly have the door closed as it's a bit cool lately, so that probably doesn't help.
But yesterday I was mostly just moving around plants and I'm dying again this morning.

These things are hard to nail down. I've tried all sorts of drops and they help a bit.
I've no chemicals on the go at the moment, so I think it's just dust. It's a bit early for hay fever, which I don't really suffer from.

I always change my clothes when going out the back in general.
I had some Nicotiana (tobacco plant) that drove my eyes absolutely mad one year. Until I finally figured that one out.

Then one day I'll wake up and realise that it's gone.
But it's bad at the moment.

Antihistamines don't seem to be any help.
Any solutions?

Hi
I know that a few years ago in Scotland two growers contracted legionnaires disease from the substrate that they were using and it was reckoned that they had not washed their hands before either eating or touching their mouths.

The above led me to look at substrates and initially to avoid any that have been produced by manufacturers containing the waste that comes from household gardening bins as several councils do not heat the compost before mixing it and selling it and if you see what some people put in their garden bins you may be disgusted.. I have read of others being upset after repotting.

Is it possible you have touched or wiped your eyes while repotting?

I now grow 150 Mesembs in 100% Pumice as I'm fed up with the rubbish that is replacing peat-free John Innes, (mostly being full of bark which a recent BBC article states that the ideal replacement has not been found). The Pumice is a lot cleaner and less likely to contain contaminates as it is filtered and washed before I use it.

If it's your eyes as you describe it is probably particle irritant, rather than bacterial. Are you using perlite in your potting mix?

Legionnella is a bacteria of stagnant water so whether the compost was from household waste or other sources shouldn't make a jot of difference.

I'd try using thin gloves as, as well as stopping you getting stuff on your skin, I also find they stop me rubbing my face as I'm very conscious I've got gloves on so I stop myself! The only other thing is to increase ventilation wherever you are repotting to blow any irritant dust away from you, or try goggles but you might want to make sure no one can see you while you're repotting!!!

Most likely dust. Timely reminder that any form of airborn dust can be dangerous to ones health.

Not nice, but I used to work with salvaged goods (smoke, fire, flood damage etc) and after any day spent with dusty items I was able to blow my nose and "it" usually came out with traces of black particles on the hankerchief.

Sounds like irritant rather than bacterial or fungal if it's intermittent.
I'd try potting outdoors to rule those "in" or "out".
For a soother try a freshly used but cooled teabag left on the eye for about 10 minutes. A slice of cucumber is another solution. I'm told both have antimicrobial properties. A couple of applications should work.

Were you repotting Euphorbias? Just handling some Euphorbias then rubbing your eyes can cause intense eye irritation. Twice I had to have an eye bath at work after inadvertently touch the Euphorbias I was growing in my office, and then (I suppose)` rubbing my eyes. Fortunately my plants didn't get banned, as I was the Departmental Health and Safety Chairman (but the incidents did have to go in the accident book).

Even pulling off old euphorbia leaves & then touching my lips causes me problems, with numb /tingly lips.
Not that I'm getting rid of my babies

I don't know what's causing it.
I just use John Innes and grit which is kept outside. So the mix is damp enough and not much dust about really.

It's a bit better now. Might have been something else.
Thanks for the replies....