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Beware of Dangers of Commercial Potting Soils

2/18/2020

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Picture
It has recently come to my attention that working with potting mix comes with some health risks that no one has ever told us about. Because the soil is typically stored in a plastic bag — often in the sun — it provides the perfect breeding ground (warm and moist) for  bacteria and fungi. Normally, this wouldn't cause a problem, but when that bacteria is legionella bacteria, it can lead to legionnaire's disease, a potentially fatal form of pneumonia.

Reports of deaths from legionella bacteria are primarily from Australia and Japan, but are not unknown in the United States, explains a 2000 CDC report.

A July 2017 report by the CDC also lists commercial bags of compost as a possible source of the legionella bacteria. Some commercial potting mixes (and compost) tested in the US have tested positive to legionella bacteria, the CDC further explains.

While the risk appears to be higher in Australia where 73 percent of the soil samples tested contained legionella, gardeners in the U.S. should be aware of the risks associated with opening and using bags of potting soil or compost.

How do you get Legionnaire's disease?

It is believed that inhalation of the bacteria is the primary means of infection, but the CDC has not ruled out contact with the skin.

Who is at the greatest risk?

People with respiratory disorders, such as COPD, those with compromised immune systems and the elderly are at the highest risk, but that doesn't mean it can't infect younger and healthier gardeners, too.

How do you prevent contamination?

Observe the following recommendations to reduce the risk of exposure to the legionella bacteria.
  • Wear gloves when opening bags and working with potting mix and/or compost.
  • Wear a face mask. Exposure typically occurs via inhalation of the bacteria.
  • Open bags in a well-ventilated area.
  • Open bags away from you.
  • Do not smoke while handling the soil.
  • Wash your hands (even if you were wearing gloves) before eating, smoking or touching your face.
I'm certainly not recommending that you avoid potting soils and compost completely, but never hurts to be cautious, especially if you are at a high risk due to health and/or age.

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  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • About Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • How to Grow a Pomato Plant
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
        • Turnips vs Rutabagas
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
  • Garden Pests
    • How to Control Japanese Beetles
    • How to Control Blister Beetles
    • How to Get Rid of Colorado Potato Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables