Clouds of pollen reduce Calgarians to tears

It hasn't been raining pollen it just seems that way, as cloudsof yellow dust havefallen upon the city.

That wasthe message Mondayfrom Plantation Garden Centre owner Colin Atter, who acknowledged that things seem prettybad in Calgary this year for those afflicted with seasonal allergies.

"That [yellow dust] comes from spruce, pine, Douglas fir all the coniferous trees and it's just clouds right now. It's unbelievable," Atter saidin an interview onThe Homestretchon Monday.

Atterblamedthe yellow haze on an odd confluence of events namely, a late winter that delayed some flowers from blooming, followed immediately by a hot, dry and windy month of May that's made it feel more like mid-July than spring.

"Normally, you have a season where the Maydays will bloom, and then the lilacs will bloom," he said. "I'm seeing things blooming that usually happen a month apart.

"It's all happening at the same time!"

Late season causes plant havoc

Not only is the absence of spring-like weather playing havoc with a lot of people's sinuses, but it's also thrown a curveball into growing season, Atter said.

"It's crazy," he said. "This year has been the weirdest year. I can't gauge anything. It's been so warm since the beginning of May we usually have some frosty nights, we have some snow on the long weekend it has been consistently beautiful andhot since the first of May.

"[As a result], everything is well caught up," he said.

The warm weather has meant astampede on his shelves.

"It's been crazy since easily Mother's Day," he said.

Judging by the forecast, sneezing season might just about be behind us.

"Probably after the next couple days, if it rains, it will probably be gone. It's really kind of dissipated," he said.

Cold weather not done yet

And despite it being the hottest May in 120 years for Calgary, Atter says take nothing for granted.

"People look at the long range forecast andthey see the seasoned gardeners, they hold off [planting]," he said."We've got a night coming up, Wednesday night, [where it's forecast to drop to] plus four [degrees].

"That will kill your basil, that will do some damage to your squashes, or your melons or your cucumbers so that might be a night to cover some things up if it gets down to fourdegrees."

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With files from The Homestretchand Justin Pennell.