Gardening safety should always come first while you are gardening. Most accidents occur within and around the house, so it is best to put into practice these following reminders before attempting to do gardening:
- Before you start gardening, make sure to wear your thick sturdy boots. You can also wear rubber soles shoes with closed toes. This will keep your feet clean and give you protection. Safety goggles are also necessary to wear while you are mowing or cutting the plants in your garden. Don’t forget your hand gloves to protect your hands from any incidents, and to cover any wounds if you have any.
- The sun’s rays can cause radiation and certain skin cancers. Wearing a loose long sleeved shirt, a hat, and applying some sunscreen lotion will protect you from the sun. If the weather is extremely hot, or if there is a high pollen count, do not attempt to garden.
- Do not leave sharp equipment or tools lying on the garden when not use. This will prevent accidents, especially if there are children in the area. Always keep your equipment clean and well-kept after using.
- When kneeling on the ground, do not forget to keep your knee or foam pads to avoid bruising.
- Always read and follow instructions on organic fertilizers. When opening any compost, wear a mask to cover your nose and mouth. This is to prevent any kind of disease that might be harmful to your lungs.
- Protect yourself from insect bites by applying insect repellants, aside from wearing long-sleeved tops.
- Before lifting any heavy equipment, lift by using your legs and not your back.
- Consult your doctor before gardening. Some have known to suffer a heart attack while gardening. This may be due to an increase in blood pressure during hot weather. Take breaks in between your gardening and have a sufficient amount of water intake.
- Before attempting gardening, it is best to have a tetanus vaccine. Tetanus can be acquired in soil, and it can enter the body when there are breaks or cuts in the skin.
- Use any non-toxic products for pest management. If possible use organic pesticides. Insecticidal soap, bacteria, Neem, horticultural oil, Pyrethrins, are just some of the known organic garden pesticides out in the market.
Following these safety tips before you have a garden are necessary to ensure your protection. These simple reminders will prevent you from having any untoward accidents, sickness or disease from ever occurring. You will enjoy your gardening for many years, and this is a good hobby that you can hand over for generations to come.