Care and safety tips for gardeners

Often times in gardening, the simple things are overlooked. These little things could provide safety for your body and contribute to your entire wellbeing. The following 6 tips would come in handy in keeping you clean and safe:

1

Wear appropriate shoes: Go for comfortable, knee length boots. This protects you from sharp objects in the ground, thorny shrubs and thorny hedges. You could strap on a pair of aerator sandals over the boots (their sole is made of spikes). The spikes beneath the sandals will help aerate the soil and give the roots the oxygen needed. Why not dance in the lawn every morning to aerate the soil!

2

Wear gloves: Hand gloves protect from sharp objects, insect bites, and chemicals left in the soil that might irritate the skin. You also do not want to have germs buried deep within your fingernails.

3

Soap before you start: Funny idea right? Scratch on a soap bar before heading to the garden on a day you do not have gloves at your disposal. This way, there would be no room for dirt to get trapped beneath your nails and washing off would be easy.

4

Use nose guards: when mixing your own potting soil, inhaling dust could make your nose run!. Vermiculite contains asbestos particles which when exposed to can cause lung diseases. Nose guards prevents you from breathing them in. Also, try mixing the soil in an open, well ventilated place.

5

Handle sharp and contaminated tools with care: do not leave rakes, and other pointed tools on the floor carelessly. You might step on it or it could make you stumble. Clean contaminated tools immediately as they can spread infection to other healthy plants. Hang clean dry tools in the store or yard.

6

Have olive oil in the garden: this tip is especially for ladies. Apply olive oil on the hands after washing to keep the palms soft and supple. You can garden without losing your femininity.