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I didn't know that a simple plant fertilizer can devastate my entire household
I didn't know that a simple plant fertilizer can devastate the entire household and health of all family members.
I bought this fertilizer because it was marketed as organic. The bottle I received stated that it is "safe for pets and children". No mention of any allergens or adverse reactions.
According to instructions, I sprinkled this powder on the soil of my 7 huge indoor plants and watered them. On the same evening, all treated plant's soil started to smell like a rotten damp moldy underground, and when I approached these plants, I got breathing problems similar to asthma, as well as severe face itching. I thought that this reaction is transient and would go away.
The reaction only got worse. The rotten smell spread to the whole apartment, and in just a couple of days after using this "Joyful" dirt, I realized that I can't breath in my apartment anymore. All my face was itching so badly that I basically walked around scratching it almost non-stop. What's worse is that my husband, always so healthy, started to have a constant staffed nose, coughing and sneezing.
When we left the apartment, our symptoms disappeared, and reappeared right upon entry. I couldn't fall asleep for hours because shortness of breath made me feel that I may die and I coughed constantly to try to clear airways.
The package of this fertilizer mentioned "beneficial fungi", so it looks like these fungi likely started to send spores in all directions as soon as I sprinkled fertilizer and watered plants.
I had to put all my plants on the balcony in the hope that this would end the release of allergens from fertilized soil and would end this story. I had almost a couple of dozens of plants which I bought recently and which were worth approximately $400.
It's been about a month since then. Allergy didn't go away. I tried to wash walls and other objects. It looks like these "beneficial" fungi spores spread everywhere and got embedded so deeply into all surfaces that looks like we'll have to move to another apartment and possibly leave behind our furniture and clothing (many thousands of dollars). Several plants on the balcony already died because it's too cold for them outside.
It's unbelievable to think that I bought this fertilizer to keep my plants healthy and as a result had to get rid of these very plants. From what this fertilizer did to my plants, my apartment and health of all my family, I can say that this product is the strongest and the most devastating allergen I had to face in my life. It is very strange that there is no mention of any possible allergens on the package of this fertilizer, even though this product seems plain hazardous, at least for indoor use and for some people.
Our life has divided into "before" and "after" use of this fertilizer. Almost a month later after its use, my husband and I are still breathless in our apartment, but as soon as we exit the apartment, the symptoms disappear. My face itches like crazy virtually all the time while in the apartment. And what's funny is that due to work from home orders, we are basically stuck in this apartment filled with allergens. Apartment used to look like a lush greenhouse, and now it's empty and looks like a garage, while my beautiful expensive plants keep dying on the balcony. I already spent countless dozens of hours trying to clean everything to remove allergens, without success. It looks like we'll have to move out of this apartment. It's the most devastating product I ever bought. I'm shocked and am still in disbelief from how my living space was a green zen sanctuary right until the moment I used this fertilizer. Right after that my beloved and cared for apartment turned into an unlivable hell.
December 2020 · Patio Lawn and Garden · verified purchase