@cate123456 I have been an avid gardener all my life, and didn't want to give it up when I was diagnosed with MAC, Bronchiectasis & Pseudomonas in 2018. Based on the strain I had, the suspected origin of my infection was the feral chickens in the yard of my Texas winter home, scratching under my fruit trees and around my garden. My pulmonologist was pretty angry with me about this refusing to give up gardening completely; he even wanted me to toss my house plants. We eventually parted ways for another reason.

I appealed to my PCP & ID doc for guidance. Their philosophy on living with MAC/Bronch is a little different - 1) reduce the most obvious risks, 2) take reasonable precautions, 3) use your meds & do airway clearance, 4) eat, rest & exercise & 5) GO LIVE YOUR LIFE.

Here was the advice from the ID doc: MAC and other germs that are risky to bad lungs are everywhere, but we cannot stop living because of it; just take prudent precautions. So, stay away from that Texas dirt - plant ground cover & leave it alone. Let someone else maintain it, and stay indoors while they do it & until it is watered down. Been doing that for 4 years now, and simply garden in pots, on the other side of the house, while I am there.

What about my big Minnesota gardens? No chickens there. His advice: Mask, gloves and long sleeves. Take them off before you go in the house. Water down the soil before you dig in it to keep airborne NTM & other germs from flying. Leave the compost and mulch handling to someone else & stay away while it is being spread, until it is watered down. Watering is fine - the outdoor air will dilute any NTM sufficiently.

We added the following (my husband also has Bronchiectasis, but has never had MAC): Masks when mowing too. No shoes from yard/garden in the house (don't trip - they are on the garage step!) HEPA air filters, in addition to HEPA furnace filter in the living areas. Close the windows when windy, dusty, during mowing, etc. Oh, and I covered the soil in my house plants with gravel to reduce flying dust.

What has been the result? Off the meds for 32 months with no reinfection. I know we have heard from other gardeners hers over the years - has anyone else done things differently?
Sue