Working with Prickly Pear Cactus

[AllenK RGV]

I have been trying to build a fence out of these things and have wasted much money on gloves thinking they might be useful. Does anyone have an idea on gloves that will keep the spines out of my fingers?

To date the only gloves that work are the tines of a pitchfork.

 

[Niche Flock]

Yikes, I despise this plant and have propagated it for years. If it weren't for it's beauty and edibility I'd stay away from it. To be honest, when I handle it I wear long sleeves, nitrile gardening gloves with thicker leather gloves over top plus I cut up strips of card board to touch and move the pads so I don't come in contact with it. The glochids are extremely frustrating to pull out of skin and persist for a very long time causing painful inflammation...and if your clothing comes in contact with the fine like hair glochids, you can then pick them up on your skin if you touch your clothes later. Not fun. Also, you don't want to get those things in your eyes, so if you have safety goggles I'd rock those just in case they get airborne. Try doubling up on gloves without compromising hand flexibility. Good luck!!

 

[AllenK RGV]

It is more than beautiful. In spring the songbirds paint my porch with those lovely sugar filled tunas. I think the Green Jays love tuna the most. And a good hedge out of them deters just about any interloper.

 

[NeoHomesteader]

I work in land surveying. So got to find this out first hand in cape may county NJ.

If you see these on a corner.. (which is common enough there) then.. "could not find corner" goes in my notes.

Stuff is worse than fiberglass splinters.

Best of luck in your endeavor.