Selective seeding can lessen sneezing

For people who have seasonal allergies, lawns and gardens can mean endless sneezing, itchy eyes, congestion and a scratchy throat, and sometimes, asthma episodes.

If you're an avid gardener with allergies, you can select your plants so that they don't have as large an impact on your symptoms.

To avoid symptoms, allergy sufferers should first identify which plants cause their allergic reactions. Skin testing by an allergist/immunologist can determine which allergens trigger reactions. Allergist/ immunologists can help you develop strategies to avoid plants that cause reactions and can prescribe medications to alleviate symptoms.

Allergy experts have found that some plants cause fewer reactions than others. For instance, maple trees can cause problems for people allergic to its pollen. Other trees, such as apple trees, cause few allergic reactions. These trees have large, waxy flowers with pollen that is too heavy and sticky to float through the air and cause an allergic reaction.

Weeds such as ragweed, pigweed and Russian thistle are common in the United States and are highly allergenic. In most cases, weeds are unavoidable. Wearing a mask when gardening, leaving all gardening tools, including clothing, outdoors, and showering immediately after working outdoors will help control allergic reactions.

Taking steps to avoid planting allergy-inducing plants near your home can help make it possible for gardening allergy sufferers to continue their hobby and enjoy being outdoors from spring through fall.

Allergy sufferers should avoid these trees, weeds and grasses: Trees Grasses and Weeds Alder Cottonwood Mulberry Poplar Bermuda Perennial Rye Ash Cypress Oak Sycamore Fescue Redtop Aspen Elm Olive Walnut Johnson Saltgrass Beech Birch Hickory Palm Willow June Sweet Vernal Box Elder Juniper Pecan Orchard Timothy Cedar Maple Pine