“Plant food,” also known as plant fertilizer, is commonly used on plants in homes or gardens. Such fertilizers keep plants healthy and allow them to grow faster.
Plant foods can be hazardous to people and pets through physical contact, inhalation, or accidental ingestion. It is safe to use fertilizers on nonedible plants, but you should always be cautious when handling and storing plant food.
If you want to fertilize edible plants, you should ask a professional for advice about which products to buy.
You may develop the following symptoms if you come into physical contact with plant fertilizers:
- skin redness
- burning sensation on the skin
- itchy skin
- burning of the nose, eyes, or throat
You may experience these symptoms if you ingest plant fertilizers:
- body parts (such as fingernails, lips, or hands) turn blue from lack of oxygen
- dizziness
- fainting
- low blood pressure
- seizures
- shortness of breath
- upset stomach or stomach pain
Plant fertilizers can poison people and pets if they are inhaled or accidentally ingested. Touching the fertilizer may cause skin irritation, and ingesting it may be poisonous. Nitrates are the ingredients that cause the poisoning.
Nitrates are a form of nitrogen that plants can easily absorb. Nitrogen is essential for plant growth, but it can be very dangerous when present at high levels in humans. Within our bodies, nitrates lower the ability of the red blood cells to carry and deliver oxygen.
If you believe you have been poisoned by plant food, you should call the National Poison Control Centers hotline immediately. The emergency number is 800-222-1222.
You should also seek medical help. When paramedics arrive, be prepared to tell them:
- which fertilizer you were exposed to
- whether it was inhaled, ingested, or touched
- how much of the material you came in contact with
- when the contact occurred
Get fresh air immediately if the plant food was inhaled.
If the plant fertilizer is in your eyes or on your skin, flush thoroughly with water for at least 15 minutes.
If you ingested the substance, do not induce vomiting unless the poison control center tells you to. You should drink water or milk, unless they advise against it.
Don’t drink anything if you’re vomiting, as this could lead to choking or drowning. The same guidelines apply if you’re providing care to a victim who is vomiting or unconscious.
The poison control center may advise you to go to the hospital. Once there, the staff will assess the severity of your poisoning.
Your doctor may run tests to check for methemoglobinemia. In this condition, the nitrate binds to the hemoglobin in your blood. Normally, hemoglobin is the compound that allows the blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body.
When you have methemoglobinemia, your blood cannot adequately circulate oxygen, causing a bluish tint in the oxygen-starved areas. Since methemoglobinemia is more common in infants, it is sometimes called “blue baby syndrome.”
If necessary, doctors at the hospital may give you medications, breathing support, or IV liquids.
Your ability to recover from plant food poisoning depends on the following factors:
- what type of fertilizer you came into contact with
- how much fertilizer you inhaled, ingested, or touched
- how much time passed before you sought medical help
You should always seek immediate medical care if you or a loved one has been poisoned by plant food, as the condition — if not treated — can be fatal.
