If you’re a gardener reading this post, don’t think that you have to stop gardening because it’s dangerous.
Truthfully, hidden dangers lurk everywhere and you just have to be careful and know how to protect yourself.
The same goes for gardening, but it has numerous benefits that outweigh the potential dangers it also holds.
Even with so many benefits to gardening, there are still threats that may lurk in your backyard.
Here’s what you need to be aware of when gardening to maintain your health and well-being.
1. Potential Cuts, Scrapes, and Strains
Gardening requires you to use a variety of tools, many of which are sharp. Most gardeners know to be careful when using their sharp tools because they’re at a higher risk of tetanus.
This bacteria can be found in soil, and can enter the body through cuts or scrapes.
So make sure that you’re up to date on your tetanus vaccine and that you’re using thick gloves when using sharp gardening tools.
Gardening is also a great way to relieve stress, soak in some much needed vitamin D, and get in a good workout all at the same time.
With that being said, it’s also possible to overexert yourself and pull and/or strain muscles.
Try not to spend too much time working in your garden, especially if you’re just starting out. It will also help to do some stretches and even yoga to help work your muscles.
2. Too Much Sun
While sunlight is good for you, too much is detrimental. Remember to apply sunscreen before you go out and work in your garden— even on cloudy days.
Also remember to drink plenty of water and take breaks away from the sun, especially on very hot days.
Finally, make sure that you’re aware of the signs of a heat stroke, as you may not know if you’re having one.
3. Dangerous Plants and Animals
Because you are outside while gardening, there’s a chance that you could run into some dangerous animals depending on where you live.
The most common danger comes from ticks that carry Lyme disease, which is an inflammatory disease that can cause neurological disorders, cardiac problems, and arthritis.
There’s also the potential for coming into contact with poisonous spiders or snakes.
If you have pets, make sure that you’re not planting any flowers or plants that are toxic to them.
For example, lillies are known to be toxic to cats, and other plants such as hydrangeas and aloe vera can be toxic to pets as well.
4. Soil-Borne Diseases
Soil can harbor fungi and bacteria that can be dangerous when inhaled.
Soil can also become contaminated through rodent droppings that contain hantavirus and droppings from other animals that can contain E. coli.
These dangers lurking in your soil can cause symptoms as mild as diarrhea to something more serious like pneumonia or death. Because of this, many gardeners use fungicides.
5. Chemical-Based Pesticides
Pesticides are a broad category of substances that kill/deter unwanted pests.
This includes fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides.
Because of dangerous fungi and bacteria living in soil, an overgrowth of weeds, and countless insects and other bugs, gardeners must use some kind of pesticide to keep these things from harming them and their plants.
Unfortunately, these chemical-based pesticides have been known to be harmful to humans, most recently Paraquat, a common herbicide linked to Parkinson’s disease developing in their users.
The good news is that there are many natural alternatives that gardeners can use as pesticides.
For example, cinnamon oil can act as an effective fungicide, vinegar can be used to dehydrate weeds to keep them from growing, and neem oil is used as the main ingredient in many plant-based insecticides.
If you don’t have cinnamon or neem oil, you can use milk diluted with water as a fungicide and garlic or onions as insecticides.
While the hidden dangers of gardening are very serious, they are also avoidable.
Many gardeners already know about these hidden dangers, but it’s good to be reminded every now and then.
This is also important for first-time gardeners to know, because not many people think of gardening as being dangerous.
If you’ve been wanting to get into gardening, don’t let these dangers deter you. Gardening is a perfectly safe activity, and it offers numerous health benefits. Just be aware of how gardening can potentially pose a threat to your health as take all necessary precautions to ensure your safety.
