Pollen’s Calling!

This year it seems as though the pollen count is already producing great quantities in our area. The spring pollen season is dependent on winter weather and this is why the pollen season can vary year to year. Warmer air temperatures and a higher number of frost-free days have advanced the start time of plant growth and the start time of pollen production, leading to an earlier and longer pollen season. This is the reason that some allergy sufferers will feel the effects of their symptoms earlier in the year, sometimes in February and other years it could delay until March or April.

Trees need at least 3 days above 60 degrees before they can begin to bud and this year has been the perfect climate for early pollen production. The main trees that cause the most problems in our area include juniper, ash, white oak, mountain cedar, maple and elm.

pollen picture for blog

 

Things you can do to avoid having problems:

* Plan your landscape– Minimize exposure to known allergens by not planting certain allergy-causing trees on your property.
* Plan your time outside– In order to minimize exposure, plan outdoor activities to coincide with times when the pollen count is lowest.
* Keep up with the pollen count– Follow the local pollen index (the number of grains per cubic meter of air) that will alert you to days when your particular allergens are most prominent.
* Allergy skin testing– Using the scratch or blood test for allergies can help you determine what type of pollen allergies you have.

 

 

 

2017-06-22T09:09:41+00:00