Would a tiny bit of grease on my hands hurt my plants?

[AnnonaMangoLord45]

Hello, i watered my plants the other day with a tiny bit of grease on my hands after washing off most of the grease until there were washed out parts that stuck to my hands. Would that tiny bit of grease come off, go into the water, and harm the plants? How long does it take for petroleum damage to show up on plants? Thanks, Matt

[Cookie Monster]

Doubt it's an issue. If you dumped some gasoline on them, then I'd be worried.

[AnnonaMangoLord45]

Ok thanks, but would any grease particles be in the water? The hose had a leak in which the water would run over my hand, thanks, Matt

[Daintree]

Matt,
What a good "plant parent" you are, to be so worried!
You should be fine.  Yes, there may be a tiny amount of grease particles in the water, but, for example, a lot of dormant oils have petroleum products in them, and folks put a lot of dormant oil on plants and they do fine.  The tiny amount you had on your hands should have no effect at all, unless there was a LOT of grease, and you were watering very tiny, delicate seedlings.  Even then, it probably won't affect them adversely.
I have watered my plants before with hand lotion on, for example, and could tell that hand lotion was getting into the water, and it never caused any problems.  Grease shouldn't bother them at all (maybe keep some insects away if you are lucky, but that is doubtful).
Happy watering!
Carolyn

[koundog]

My grandpa used to burry old oil from cars by his mango trees never seem to hurt the tree I don’t recommend it because it’s illegal and not ok just answering your question though 

[AnnonaMangoLord45]

Thank you so much guys! Now my worries have gone to rest

[AnnonaMangoLord45]

Although Is dormant oil and lotion petroleum the same as engine grease/ tool grease? Thanks, Matt

[zands]

30 weight oil is organic it is made from dead fossilized plants. Gasoline is a very volatile and poisonous fraction. Next down is kerosene which is mostly harmless and is part of many old time cures from Cayce and others. I have used kerosene to get|dissolve roofing tar off my hands many times. Kerosene is a very good solvent and you can buy some at your gas station ....it is called diesel fuel and is same as kerosene. Modern jet airplanes also burn kerosene aka jet fuel.

Un bleeping believable I ran into a guy at Broward Meat and Fish the other day and he was driving a Mercedes 1982 station wagon. Diesel. Of course I complimented him and the car.

If I had to dump a quart of 30 weight around my mango tree I would not worry at all. It is organic enough and the soil and organisms will eat it up. Some will wash down too.

[Paquicuba]

Sometimes I touch my mangoes with my greasy hands after eating chicharrones de puerco (pork's skin) at the Palacio de los jugos in Hialeah and I can tell you that there is nothing better than a greasy mango skin. 

[zands]

Sometimes I touch my mangoes with my greasy hands after eating chicharrones de puerco (pork's skin) at the Palacio de los jugos in Hialeah and I can tell you that there is nothing better than a greasy mango skin. 

All you Iberian peasants are the same    / I had an Azores landlady who fried them up and gorged. She also had a Concord Grape vine and no joke it had rock hard asphalt for mulch. The 3 inch diameter (might have been more) vine grew right out of the asphalt. Don't ask me why this area got paved with asphalt.  I ate|raided those blacker than night grapes many times||||| They were best sweetest after a few freezes say around November 12th.