Kitchen Garden Forum

Yesterday morning I woke up with sore patches on my arms that felt like burns. Later the patches developed blisters. They are still blistered and red.

The day before I had been clearing an area of the plot and for a time the sun was quite hot. I can only assume that sap must have got onto my arm from the plants or weeds and the sun had acted with it to burn my skin. I guess from the positioning of the 'burns' that this must have happened when I was gathering the stuff up for the compost heap.

The strange thing was that I felt nothing until the next morning but can't think of anything else that could have caused the problem.

I was clearing broad beans and peas but there were various weeds such as fat hen and I think it is sow thistle mixed in - no spurge though which I know can be a problem. Anyone any idea of what could have been the culprit?

Parsnips?

I was picking beans on wednesday and was bitten by an elephant ,I didn't see it but judging by the state of my eye it was a big b*****
I 've told everyone that the OH thumped me but for some reason they don't believe me (he's a lovely softy who doesn't even raise his voice)

Hi Glallotments,
Many people seem to be allergic to a very wide range of plants. In my years I have come across many cases and generally it seems to come from weeds that exude a milky sap. The only one you have mentioned that has a milky sap is Sow Thistle so this may just turn out to be the culprit.
I once employed a person who when taking cuttings of a decorative Spurge got his hands so badly burned that he was off work for over three months. The strange thing is that the previous day I had done the same job with absolutely no ill effect. Strange aint'it!
JB.

I have to avoid most Umbellifers: Cow parsley, hedge parsley, hogweed, and especially parsnips, but not carrots. None of these has a milky sap. Any spurges I am absolutely fine with. But it's a funny old business with parsnips, for me and a handful of others they are, effectively, toxic.

Nowhere near any parsnips or any umbellifers. I had wondered about the sow thistle. But there was very little of this.

My arm is still blistered. It's strange as I have been gardening for years and never had a problem and i wasn't near any plants that I hadn't been in contact with before which is why I wondered whether the connection with the sun was relevant.

The wounds are definitely more burns than bites - blistering doesn't tend to accompany bites

Rue?

No one has been using napalm , have they.

But being more serious, i do hope your arms are on the mend.

Hi Gallotments
Sorry to hear of this reaction, I hope it all calms down quickly.

Not rue Peter but certainly rueing the day I weeded in the sun in short sleeves!

OH - I know a couple of individuals that I wouldn't put past using napalm

The blistering seems to have gone down a bit today although it did this before and seemed to flare up again.

About twenty years ago when strimming, in my ignorance I strimmed a Hogweed and later that day wonderd why I had a new moon shaped, watery, very very thin skinned, blister that really hurt.

The next day while wondering why each time the blister burst a new one grew in the same spot I removed my ignorance about Hogweed and its Giant relative.

Nowadays I think I have a thicker hide and a bit more caution.

Hi glallotments. How are your burns? I hope they are much better now and that you're okay.
Cheers.

Hi Elaine,
Healing OK - the largest one still has a small sore patch and they are still dark pink and obvious but at least no more blisters and what looks more like real skin is forming. Keeping covered when on the plot too.

Thanks for asking