POTTING MIX
 

Can anyone tell me how dangerous potting mix is and are there any special
precautions needed.

Something to do with spores and breathing in the stuff.

Thanks.

Norman

"Norman" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me how dangerous potting mix is and are there any special
precautions needed.

Something to do with spores and breathing in the stuff.

Thanks.

Norman


What?? Where did you hear that? It's completely harmless.
Maybe don a deep diving suit just in case?

barb

g'day norman,

apparently some many years ago a person i think in qld became ill and
i think it was fatal the cause given was a leggionaires type illness
that they blamed on the potting mix the person had used some time
prior to the illness occuring. so now they have a warning posted on
all bags of potting mix.

i don't know whether the potting mix caused any problems or something
else may have and i can't say to ignore the safety message, but i have
used 100's of bags of potting mix and dozens of trailer loads of it as
well and to date i have never gotten ill, and i don't wear masks or
gloves or space suits or anything toward that end.

also i think they add treated human sewage solids in mixes nowadays
that's just my perseption.

so if in doubt glove up, don the face mask and long trousers and
sleeves and get on with the potting hey?

len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~gardenlen1/

my e/mail addies have spam filters you should know what to delete before you send.

"Norman" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me how dangerous potting mix is and are there any special
precautions needed.

Something to do with spores and breathing in the stuff.

Thanks.

Norman

you might like to read this:

http://www.health.wa.gov.au/healthv/...98/974_41.html

or this:

http://www.westone.wa.gov.au/toolbox...ix_danger.html

"blank" wrote in message
...

"Norman" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me how dangerous potting mix is and are there any
special
precautions needed.

Something to do with spores and breathing in the stuff.

Thanks.

Norman

you might like to read this:

http://www.health.wa.gov.au/healthv/...98/974_41.html

or this:


http://www.westone.wa.gov.au/toolbox...ix_danger.html


Sorry, I forgot to add that at work our weekly 14 cubic metres of potting
mix has, to our knowledge, never harmed anyone in thirty years. But it is a
sand and bark mix with a bit of extra dolomite added to keep the pH up.

Wow, this is mind blowing stuff.
Could all this be related to the initial case where they blamed the potting
mix for someones death?
Is there any scientific evidence or research to support such claims? I'd be
interested to see that also.

It's not such a problem now I'm 28 and healthy. But as I get older, I may
have to stay away from my compost bin, worm farm, and potting mix bags. Take
up another hobby basically :)


"blank" wrote in message
...

"Norman" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me how dangerous potting mix is and are there any
special
precautions needed.

Something to do with spores and breathing in the stuff.

Thanks.

Norman

you might like to read this:

http://www.health.wa.gov.au/healthv/...98/974_41.html

or this:


http://www.westone.wa.gov.au/toolbox...se/thymes/soil
_mix_danger.html

g'day itrox,

dunno mate from what i read on the sites and elsewhere they aren't
exactly 100% sure that it was the potting mix, it could have been
compost or garden soil and as we don't know how far their research
went into the unfortunate instances they could have picked the bug up
from anyplace with air conditioning, or could these folk have been
more susceptable to any sort of infection due to other reasons????

anyway those who have the power say take precautions.

len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~gardenlen1/

my e/mail addies have spam filters you should know what to delete before you send.

Blank thanks for advising those on here.
The tip with the hose is "THE" tip as well as common sense such as hand
washing etc.

For Some reason A Death in DaptoNSW relates to chook poo and mushroom
compost is still ringing Large bells from the early 80's. I have sent away
for fuller particulars .
Of course worm farms and castings may be a fail safe potting mix :)
But my advice is if feeling a bit crook after any gardening or possible
exposure to chemicals
sprays or after any pest contractor visits. Get your self the a vet quick
smart
better safe than sorry .

We had a case where we live where an old gent was spraying
and then lit up a smoke before washing hands and he went leg up
soon after - inhaled the chemical and was lucky to make it .


"blank" wrote in message
...

"Norman" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me how dangerous potting mix is and are there any special
precautions needed.

Something to do with spores and breathing in the stuff.

Thanks.

Norman

you might like to read this:

http://www.health.wa.gov.au/healthv/...98/974_41.html

or this:

http://www.westone.wa.gov.au/toolbox...ix_danger.html

Gee Freebird, you need to read the papers a bit more and watch just a bit of
telly, eh?


"freebird" wrote in message
...

"Norman" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me how dangerous potting mix is and are there any
special
precautions needed.

Something to do with spores and breathing in the stuff.

Thanks.

Norman


What?? Where did you hear that? It's completely harmless.
Maybe don a deep diving suit just in case?

barb

"Norman" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me how dangerous potting mix is and are there any special
precautions needed.

Something to do with spores and breathing in the stuff.

Apparently it can cause an illness by inhaling the dust (harmful bacteria)
or contact with lesions/cuts in the skin (I guess tetnaus, sp?, would be
one?
I have handled plenty of it no troubles, not to mention working in dirt/soil
5 days a week.
Having said that I guess they have tested potting mixes, found something
possibly dangerous to humans, hence put the warning up just to be safe. One
day I might wear gloves, never a mask, but I do tyr to avoid inhaling the
dust at any time.
I know my mums cousin has got something (forget the name, possibly staff?)
from chook poo. Then he is or was a contractor for spreading chook poo on
playing fields/golf courses.

Cheers
Andrew
Thanks.

Norman

g'day andrew,

just wonder about some of their careful careful stuff nowadays they
are taking the responsibility of common sense away from users, and at
the end of the day you would probably have a better chance of winning
lotto than dying from gardening or working with plants, me i dun'
picks me nose 'till i washes me hands huh chuckle.

len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~gardenlen1/

my e/mail addies have spam filters you should know what to delete before you send.

In article ,
"Norman" wrote:

Can anyone tell me how dangerous potting mix is and are there any special
precautions needed.

Something to do with spores and breathing in the stuff.

Legionnaire's disease. Just don't stick your head in the bag and inhale the
aroma (even though potting mix smells nice). Keep it damp -- which your
seedlings will prefer anyway -- and handle it in a well-ventilated area. Wash
your hands. While we're on the topic of soil-borne disease, make sure you've
had a tetanus jab in the last ten years. If you do get any deep cuts or
puncture wounds while gardening, and it has been longer than 5 years since
your last jab, you will need to get another injection asap.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Life is like a cigarette -- smoke it to the butt." -- Harvie Krumpet

In article , "Norman"
wrote:

Can anyone tell me how dangerous potting mix is and are there any special
precautions needed.

Something to do with spores and breathing in the stuff.


The mix can contain Legionallea bacteria. These can cause Legionnaires
disease, a rare form of pneumonia - which can also be caused through
poorly maintained airconditioning systems (not to mention hot springs and
spas, apparently).

General advice is that you should keep the mix damp to avoid breathing in
dust, wear gloves and keep contaminated hands away from your mouth. Note
that this is more important if you smoke, are over 50, have a respiratory
illness or deficiency or a low immune system.

See:
http://www.betterhealthchannel.com.a...s_disease?open

--
Andy D.

In article , "Norman"
wrote:
Can anyone tell me how dangerous potting mix is and are there any special
precautions needed.

Well, to the couple of people who each year die from inhaling bacteria
in the mix and succumbing to the infection, it has proved fatal!
--
John Savage (news address invalid; keep news replies in newsgroup)

G'dayAndrew ,

I understand the problem is more to do with the packaging than the mix
itself. Usually the stuff is sterilised just before packing, but does get
exposed to airborne beasties while its cooling and sitting in the hoppers of
the packaging machine. Then they seal it up all airtight like a little
incubator and leave it hanging around the warehouse for god knows how long.
As the mix has only been exposed to a limited number of bugs, often one type
rapidly dominates, all the time being warmed by the continued break down of
the mix. So buy your mix in advance and pour it out and expose it to the
elements for a while, and it soon reaches a safe balance of microbes, just
like garden soils. Open the bags in a well ventilated spot and don't shove
your head into the bag. I find this also stabilises the moisture content
which seems to vary from batch to batch.


China
Wingham
NSW



"Andrew D" wrote in message
...
In article , "Norman"
wrote:

Can anyone tell me how dangerous potting mix is and are there any
special
precautions needed.

Something to do with spores and breathing in the stuff.


The mix can contain Legionallea bacteria. These can cause Legionnaires
disease, a rare form of pneumonia - which can also be caused through
poorly maintained airconditioning systems (not to mention hot springs and
spas, apparently).

General advice is that you should keep the mix damp to avoid breathing in
dust, wear gloves and keep contaminated hands away from your mouth. Note
that this is more important if you smoke, are over 50, have a respiratory
illness or deficiency or a low immune system.

See:

http://www.betterhealthchannel.com.a...ges/Legionnair
es_disease?open

--
Andy D.