Gardening has become the new trend. The pandemic didn’t allow us to follow all of our usual activities. Therefore, gardening was an excellent way to spend some time outside and get rid of the stress. Let’s be honest here; remote jobs are not for everyone.
However, as many of you started this just as a hobby, you might not be aware of the possible risks. I’m here to bring awareness and also provide you with a few solutions.
Sun Exposure
While you are having fun taking care of your garden, you might not realize how fast time is passing. The bigger your garden is, the more time you will spend in the Sun. If at any point you feel confusion, dizziness, nausea, or a headache, don’t ignore it. Overexposure can lead to sunburn, sun poisoning, and even worse, heat stroke.
Here’s how to protect yourself:
- Always apply sun cream before going outside.
- Don’t push yourself. Make sure you take regular breaks and cool off.
- Most importantly, stay hydrated.
Harmful chemicals
Gardening is not always fun. When removing weeds and repelling insects, most people opt to use harsh chemicals to do the trick. However, that can put your health in danger. Therefore, here are some organic options worth trying: neem oil treatments and composting to eliminate insects. Replace weed killers with manual weeding.
Poisonous plants
Although plants are beautiful, that doesn’t mean they are harmless. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that some of the most common plants have a high toxicity level—for example, lilies, daffodils, oleander, etc.
Those type of plants is not harmful just to humans, but pets as well. Please try to keep your children and pets away from them. Their toxicity can cause skin irritation, ingestion, and, if consumed, even death.
Knowledge is power. All gardeners should be aware of those hazards and how to avoid them.