Is Blue Grain Toxic to Dogs, Cats, and Humans?

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blue grain

Table of contents

  • blue grain
  • toxicity to humans
  • toxicity to animals
  • measures in an emergency
  • alternatives
  • Editor's conclusion
  • Worth knowing about the toxicity of blue grain shortly

Blue corn is widely used in home gardens, but this spherical fertilizer is purely chemical and poses a major health hazard. Concerned parents with small children should better use organic fertilizers to prevent health damage. If pets are allowed to move freely in the garden, their safety must also be taken into account, if necessary blue grain should only be used in separated areas. In addition, chemical fertilizers have no place in organic gardens.

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blue grain

The term blue grain is derived from the blue color of the fertilizer, which is very similar to slug pellets, but serves a different purpose. The fertilizer contains the most important nutrient elements, which are crucial for plant growth. However, the chemically produced blue grain does not contain any organic material and therefore does not provide any food for the living beings in the soil, which are urgently needed for the earth. The following characteristics account for the widespread fertilization success of blue grain:

  • no natural fertilizer, designed entirely on a chemical basis
  • promotes plant growth and ensures a richer harvest
  • in spherical form in specialist shops
  • is listed as an all-round fertilizer
  • contains nitrogen, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium
  • Depending on the manufacturer, trace elements may also be included
  • individual granulate balls gradually dissolve by themselves
  • Active ingredients are dosed and released into the plant soil
  • ensures a long-lasting supply of nutrients for the plants
  • it takes a long time for the ingredients of the blue grain to break down
  • Extremely toxic in high dosages, small amounts can only cause minor damage
  • not suitable for organic gardens

By the way: The components of the fertilizer Blaukorn get into the with the irrigation and rainwater Groundwater, so these pollutants subsequently in household drinking water in small doses are included. It is therefore better to work with organic fertilizers, even if the growth success is lower.

toxicity to humans

Since blue grain is a chemical fertilizer, people who come into contact with it suffer from symptoms of poisoning, which depend on the intensity of the contact. If the blue grain pellets are accidentally consumed, severe symptoms usually occur, especially in the gastrointestinal tract. The following symptoms of intoxication are characteristic of contact and consumption of blue grain:

  • Toxic to humans, especially small children
  • Scattered in the garden area, these are often picked up by children and used to play
  • gradually seeps into the ground through the water
  • possible symptoms: cramps, severe diarrhea with bloody parts, prolonged vomiting, extreme breathing difficulties up to total circulatory collapse
  • The nitrogen contained in the fertilizer inhibits the oxygen supply
  • extreme irritation of the mucous membranes, recognizable by the blue colouration
  • in high doses there is a great danger to health, up to and including coma
  • takes a long time to be completely degraded from the ground
  • There is a risk of poisoning for a long time

Tip:

As a fertilizer pellet, the blue grain looks relatively harmless and, with its unusual color, appeals above all to children who like to put new and unfamiliar things in their mouths. Therefore, the agent must always be stored safely, ideally it is not used in the garden at all.

toxicity to animals

Blueseed used as a fertilizer is also toxic to dogs and cats, as well as any other pets that are allowed to roam the garden, such as rabbits or hamsters. Sheep and goats are also at risk if they are kept next to plants fertilized with blue grain. The symptoms of poisoning are similar to those in humans and can be compared with them. Pets come into contact with blue grain much more quickly than humans, as they are almost constantly in contact with the ground. The following aspects should be considered when poisoning pets with blue grain:

  • Pets often walk through the scattered blue grain
  • afterwards they lick their paws
  • Small animals nibble on plants fertilized with blue grain and consume them
  • consumption causes severe irritation in the gastrointestinal tract
  • Common symptoms: cramps, extreme diarrhea, vomiting, rattling breath, circulatory problems
  • irritated mucous membranes with clear discolouration

measures in an emergency

Due to the high health risk for both humans and pets, countermeasures must be taken as quickly as possible to prevent long-term damage. If the dosage is kept low when fertilizing, no irreparable consequential damage is to be expected. However, the situation is different in the case of an overdose, in which case consumption can even cause a coma. Therefore, in the event of poisoning, do not hesitate and seek professional help immediately:

  • if poisoning is suspected, a doctor must be consulted immediately
  • in the case of animals, the veterinarian is responsible
  • In an emergency, they go to the hospital so that countermeasures can be taken promptly
  • in case of contact with mucous membranes, rinse immediately with plenty of water
  • Don't stop vomiting, ideally the chemical will be eliminated from the body

alternatives

When using blue grain, the load on the garden soil with nitrogen and nitrate increases, a negative process for the entire ecological cycle. In addition, the groundwater is also extremely polluted, so that the poison ultimately ends up in food and drinking water. That is why it is highly recommended to use a fertilizer that is harmless to humans and animals. The following fertilizers can be applied without hesitation:

  • always prefer ecologically compatible fertilizers to chemical fertilizers
  • ideal alternatives are: liquid manure, green manure, horn shavings, liquid manure, compost, straw, etc.
  • organic commercial fertilizers: sewage sludge or compost from composting companies
  • There is a wide range of organic fertilizers available in specialist shops

Editor's conclusion

Due to the possible risk of poisoning, blue corn should only be used in areas of the garden that are not used by people and animals. Especially small children and curious dogs and cats trawl through all the beds and quickly come into contact with the chemical fertilizer. In small doses, blue grain only causes minor irritation, but increasing the dose can lead to severe poisoning. Blue grain has therefore no place as a fertilizer in a family garden, just as in an organic cultivation. To be on the safe side, there are many organic fertilizers that pose no risk and are also kind to the environment. Ultimately, every chemical fertilizer ends up in the human body, either through the cultivated food or through the groundwater contaminated with it.

Worth knowing about the toxicity of blue grain shortly

  • If you have pets such as a dog, cat or Sheep or goats should not be kept if possible Blue grain as fertilizer To fall back on.
  • Here it is advisable to get a lighter and harmless fertilizer for the garden, which cannot harm the animals.
  • But now you can too blue grain-Variants obtained that are largely harmless.

Unlike the previously available products from the fertilizer department, today's blueseed items are significantly less dangerous, yet just as effective. They mainly contain magnesium and zinc, both of which benefit the growth of the lawn. The environmentally friendly variant of the blue grain also reduces the nitrate content, which means that Groundwater is only affected to a small extent and at the same time the quality of the lawn is improved elevated. In general, the argument for using blue grain is that it is extremely effective and contains the substances necessary for the garden. It is often negative that it contains too much nitrate and phosphate, so that this can be dangerous for living beings.

  • If you want to prevent poisoning at all costs, you should take a substitute that works just as well as blue grain.
  • There are special ones here fertilizerthat are just as effective but have less phosphate in them. They are commercially available.
  • Also an alternative horn shavings, they can in no case be dangerous to cats and dogs.

In general, the following applies to blue grain: An application is not automatically poisonous or even dangerous for humans and animals, but only if the concentration and quantity used is too high. How much blue grain you need without risk and for what occasion can be read on the package insert, you can also find the corresponding ones here Safety and application instructions, so that the blue grain fulfills its purpose and purpose, but at the same time is not used excessively becomes. If the latter were to take place, this would be the period of time in which the ingredients of the blue grain would be broken down also very long and the garden, especially for children or pets, is no longer for a long time usable.

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I write about everything that interests me in my garden.

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