Gardening and the act of owning a garden should be a fun and peaceful experience. Seeing plants and flowers grow and bloom in my yard always put a smile on my face. Adding to and maintaining your garden and landscape is such a great way to spruce up your home exterior. But it’s always important to prepare yourself for any potential issues and safety hazards to ensure that everyone is as safe as possible especially as you get your garden ready for fall. Here are the top safety hazards to avoid in the garden.
Security threats to your home from burglars
Some safety hazards concern people attempting to get into your home, and not what can happen as you do your own gardening. But with some tall and strong trees and well-placed fencing, you can bolster the security of your garden and help deter potential thieves from entering your property.
Looking through these fast growing privacy trees will give you more peace of mind and keep you feeling less worried about safety hazards in your garden at night.
Back problems and other aches
Staying in the same bent-over position and lifting heavy bags of fertilizer or plants can cause severe damage to your back. Try to resist the urge to cut corners and use wheelbarrows and other lifting equipment to protect your spine.
Make sure that you’re also getting up from your squatting or bending position to stretch and drink some water at least once or twice per hour. Avoid other back injuries by wearing solid and appropriate footwear with good traction.
Potentially poisonous chemicals
Many non-organic products and mulches contain very dangerous chemicals and pesticides. Be very careful about what you buy and where you store it, particularly around children. In fact, keep all children and pets as far away from gardening tasks that include chemicals as possible.
Sunstroke and exhaustion
While we could all use more vitamin D and sun in our lives, particularly in a post-covid world, too much sun exposure is going to harm your skin, cause severe dehydration, and damage your body.
That’s why you’ll need to cover your exposed skin with sunscreen and continue to apply it throughout the day. Wearing hats, shades, and long tees will also help to protect your skin from the sun. Don’t forget to also take regular breaks in the shade and stay hydrated too!
Insect bites
All of that activity and work in soil and wildlife can cause you to encounter some nasty little insects and bugs that may bite. It’s extremely important to avoid ticks and poisonous spiders, so use insect repellent to help ward them off. Try to keep your skin covered too and tuck your garden wear into your socks to avoid a nasty surprise later in the shower!
Pools, ponds, and solid corners
No one wants to think of these worst-case scenarios, but there have been occasions when party guests or children have been running around a garden or exploring their surroundings only to trip and fall into a pool or hit their heads on a solid stone corner of your garden. Strong lighting that clearly displays these dangerous areas is a good idea, as it can help to avoid a potential disaster.
By bring aware of potential safety hazards, you can more easily avoid them in the garden. It’s also good to make a plan to resolve any safety hazards so you can fully relax and enjoy your garden in peace.
