Compost bags could carry legionnaires' disease

[Primrose]

The Telegraph is reporting today that the RHS is advising compost manufacturers to put a warning on compost bags that the material could carry legionella lonbeachae bacteria (legionnaires' disease). Apparently a keen gardener had lacerated an index finger, and had been handling compost a couple of days before his sysmptoms appeared, and ended up in hospital in intensive care.
The advice is always to wear gloves when handling compost, avoid opening a bag whilst leaning immediately over to to avoid inhaling its dust, and never to store compost in warm places like greenhouses where the heat could encourage legionelle bacteria.

[Johnboy]

Headlines on BT/Yahoo at present!
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20100902/th ... 31572.html
JB.

[Cider Boys]

Perhaps I'll go back to using National Growmore.

Barney

[Johnboy]

Of course there is compost and compost and unfortunately the news briefing simple does not differentiate betwixt the two.
I have got serious doubts that it is found in home made compost and more likely to be in bags of non-peat products. I have been known to be quite wrong at times but we do not know what things are going into these non-peat products at present and this is why I, in an earlier posting, called upon support for a British Standard which would forbid the use of many of the things that are being used at present.
I do not know if it is just me but my impression has been that this current years compost has been the worst on record! If we rate this as an all time low then with a British Standard things can only improve and they really need to!
JB.

[Primrose]

I agree with Johnboy about the poor quality of compost which has been available this year. I know poor workman always blame their tools but many of my germination rates have been appallingly low this Spring and I don't think one can always blame the seed manufacturers. I would love to see a standard kite mark on all composts.
I confess to making myself vulnerable when working with compost as nearly always garden bare handed I don't like wearing gloves for 'hands on' activities like sowing, potting on, transplanting etc. My finger nails are consequently always short, ugly and usually split !

[Chantal]

I'm with you Primrose, no gloves in the greenhouse etc, but with only 9 reported cases since 2004 in a population the size of the UK, I think I'll take my chances

Oh, I though this year's compost was rubbish too. My entire tomato sowing failed at least twice, as detailed elsewhere on this forum.

[Nature's Babe]

I bet profit is the main criteria Primrose, God knows what they put in the stuff, that's why I make my own. No problems germinating in seived home grown compost.

[alan refail]

Whilst not wishing to appear unsympathetic, there is vastly more chance of my contracting salmonella or avian flu from my poultry - and that is a very, very slight risk indeed.

[glallotments]

Also agree about rubbish compost - we had tomato failures and also some brassicas, lettuce and foxgloves planted in modules just failed to grow. It's time that there was some sort of quality control of composts. I do sometimes wear gloves when handling compost but not for fear of disease. I have sensitive hands and if the lime content in the compost is sufficiently high my hands especially sides of my fingers become sore!

[Monika]

About wearing gloves: I never used to wear gloves because any gardening gloves, however, dainty, stop you feeling the soil, don't they? But about two years ago, I discovered disposable gloves and now buy a box of 100 at LBS (can't remember the price) and they last for a long time and keep my hands and fingernails from looking horrid.

[pongeroon]

I don't like wearing gloves for any gardening activities, but I do think it is foolhardy to handle compost with a lacerated hand. At best I would expect it to go septic.

[Johnboy]

Since I rammed a splinter of glass down my fingernail to the first knuckle and had to have an operation and 16 weeks before I could work properly I have been very weary of Municipal Compost. I now use an aluminium scoop to initially handle any bought-in compost. I sieve it and only then, when that is done, do I handle it. I simply abhor wearing gloves when I work.
JB.

[Shallot Man]

Splinter of glass. Blimey johnboy, I bet that brought tears to the eye's.

[Johnboy]

Hi Shallot Man,
I said "Ouch-in-Hell!!" Well truth to tell the "in-Hell" bit is original!
JB.

[Elle's Garden]

Oh dear, my germination has been fine this year - any failures clearly my own, but I do store the compost I am using in the greenhouse