Gardening is a hobby that has done so much for people, especially during the pandemic. It’s an amazing practice for your mental health, it can burn calories, and lower your blood pressure, but there are things that we all need to consider, especially when it comes to the specific types of hazards. Let’s show you some of the things that you should bear in mind.
Accidental Cuts or Scrapes
If you handle sharp tools, thorny plants, or are operating around big bulky trees with branches, it’s important to protect yourself. If you have an unsightly tree that is causing problems, you may think it’s better to chop it down yourself, but there are plenty of companies that offer tree services that can do the job more effectively. We have to remember that if we are handling sharp tools and sharp plants, the best protection, apart from wearing thick gloves, is to stay up-to-date with our tetanus vaccine and should have one every ten years.
Hot Afternoons in the Sun
You can easily find yourself at risk of sunstroke if you spend too much time out of the sun. When we are focused on getting our garden up to code, we can always forget how dehydrated we get. When you are gardening during the day, you need to take regular breaks, spend time in the shade, and also have plenty of water. If you start to show any signs of dehydration, such as headaches, lethargy, or feeling dizzy, you can replenish the electrolytes in your body with a sports drink or you can opt for water with a little bit of salt. If you are exposing your skin to the sun for a long period of time, you also need to reapply sunscreen throughout the day. You need to put it all over your problem areas, including the backs of your hands and your neck.
Doing Too Much
The best little tip before you start gardening is to properly warm up. Because if we start using improper techniques to lift and lower heavy bags, we can end up spraining parts of our body or get tendonitis. If you are doing things that require repetitive motion, like shoveling, you need to avoid doing them for extended periods of time. Warm-up exercises for every part of your body, even for the wrist, can prevent injuries.
Poisonous Plants
Do you know how poisonous any plants are in your garden? While you may not ingest flowers like hydrangeas or rhododendrons, if there are children around, you’ve always got to monitor them closely.
Loud Noises
It’s something that we don’t necessarily give consideration to unless we have hearing problems ourselves, but when you are looking to change your garden or looking to renovate your home, you’ve got to give consideration to the loudness of power tools, such as trimmers, shredders, and mowers. Any noise above 80 DB could cause permanent hearing damage so you need to protect your ears for any heavy-duty gardening.
Gardening is an incredibly relaxing pastime for many, as long as you do it right and are aware of some of these hazards.