For the aspiring gardener ...

Gardening articles, mags, books, art, ....

Safety in the Garden

Article © 2008 David Murray

We are often reminded that more accidents happen in and around the home than in any other place. This does not exclude the garden. Danger can lurk there in many forms. From major events such as the falling of rotten branches from trees to the relatively less obvious but just as dangerous slippery surfaces covered in moss, we are exposed to risk every time we step into the garden.

The wetter and colder months give rise to more problems of safety in the garden and when there is ice on the ground the danger is even greater. But whereas ice and snow are fairly obvious risks, the danger of moss is often underestimated.

Moss-killing products from the garden centre can be very effective, but many of these can easily cause damage to other plant life, especially if not used very carefully.

High pressure water blasting is a better solution for getting rid of moss-covered slippery surfaces and relatively cheap and good quality water blasters are readily available for the use of the home handy person.

As with moss-killing compounds it is important to take care not to damage plants. The pressure from a water blaster can destroy a section of flower or vegetable garden in a matter of minutes.

In the above paragraphs we've been thinking much about the damper periods of the year and risks of slipping, but all year round there can be the risk of tripping. At the beginning of each garden year it is good to check around the paths and patios for any raised edges that could cause an accident, and get them leveled out.

Remember also that the weight of plants can change over the wetter months. Hanging containers, with the additional weight from saturation with water, can come crashing down.

It is always a good idea to wear safety glasses when getting in amongst larger plants and shrubs, especially those with twiggy structure or spikes. It is so easy to damage your eyes. If you use canes to support taller plants remember to cap them with rubber tips so that the hard ends do not poke into your eyes or even bruise other parts of your face.

Wearing gloves will protect your hands from cuts and scrapes and this is especially important if you use insecticides and other garden chemicals that could damage the skin, or even be spread accidentally to your mouth or eyes.

Before we finish, don't forget the biggest danger in the garden. More injuries than from any other source come from tools such as forks and rakes being left lying around on the ground and causing injury when someone falls or stands on them.

And finally ... a tidy garden will be a safer garden.

The above article is by David Murray, owner of this site.