An ounce of protection in the garden avoids expensive headaches

Gardening. It’s all fun and games until you step on a rake, disturb a fire ant bed, or weed whack your ankles. While an ounce of prevention doesn’t guarantee a pound of tomatoes, it’s more productive than an afternoon in the ER.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 400,000 garden tool injuries are treated in ER’s each year. That’s a lot of co-pays.

So, throughout the garden season, the following health and safety tips may be worthwhile to review.

Protective gear

Wear garden gloves with a rubber coating to reduce blisters and calluses and to protect against scrapes, chemical and fertilizer exposure, poisonous plants, or soil-borne bacteria like tetanus.

According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) tetanus or “lockjaw” is a serious nervous system condition caused by an infection by a bacterium, Clostridium tetani, which enters the body through breaks in the skin. Tetanus causes severe muscle contractions, particularly of the jaw and neck. Severe cases can be life-threatening. As an added precaution, get a tetanus shot every 10 years.

Eye goggles and ear plugs. When spraying chemicals or using a blower, wearing goggles will minimize the potential for eye injuries. Use ear plugs when using loud power equipment. How loud is too loud? The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports when using machinery, “if you must raise your voice to talk to someone who is an arm’s length away, the noise can be potentially harmful to your hearing.”

Wear closed-toe shoes or boots. Not only will sturdy boots protect you from things like that weedwhacker, but with pant legs tucked in, you’re less likely to pick up ticks. Boots with good traction make navigating wet leaves or uneven ground safer than flipflops.

Wear a face mask when spraying garden chemicals like insecticides, pesticides, liquid fertilizer, and so on. The University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension Office warns that inhalation of such chemicals can be harmful because they are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and can damage lung tissue. People with respiratory conditions are at particular risk. When applying granular products, wash your hands thoroughly before handling food or eating, even if you wore gloves.

Use caution when using lawn and garden equipment

All garden tools should be properly maintained and used with care, not just lawnmowers. An article in LawnStarter in 2020 reported that “Our analysis of federal data indicates that you face lower odds of being injured by lawn mowers than by other kinds of lawn and garden equipment. Gear such a garden hoses, lawn edgers, leaf blowers, pruning shears, wheelbarrows and chainsaws cause 73 percent of injuries.”

In Florida, something is blossoming nearly the whole year. Remember that patina of pollen that covers your car every year? With pollen comes allergies. Combining power tools with allergy medications is not advisable. Also, don’t operate tools when tired, perhaps rushing to complete a chore. To minimize distractions for you or harm to them, keep kids and pets inside when working power tools.

Call 811 before you dig

811 “Know what’s below” is a national program to help identify underground utilities. By calling 811 or using the state 811 website, underground utilities can be marked with paint or flags. This can avoid service disruptions or injury to the gardener.

Avoid muscle strain

Before attacking the weeds, warm up by doing stretches. Once in the garden, avoid repetitive movements to minimize muscle strain. Switch up large muscle movements with upper body and manual tasks. Take regular breaks to admire your handiwork, listen to the birds, etc.

Remember that timeworn but still timely advice to “lift with your knees, not with your back”. Try to pivot from the hips and not the waist. Sit or kneel as tolerated to minimize the strain from standing or bending.

Rome’s gardens weren’t weeded in a day. Yours don’t have to be done all in one day, either. Know your limits and listen to your body.

Pest and insect protection

Ticks, fire ants, wasps, mosquitos, oh my! The CDC recommends insect repellant with DEET for mosquito and tick prevention. When treating fire ant mounds near food crops, be sure to use a preparation that is safe for that specific application.

Sun protection

Staff from the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension Service recommend using sunscreen regardless of skin type or susceptibility to sunburn. Before going out, apply a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 with ultraviolet A and B protection. A wide brimmed hat and long-sleeve shirts or gardening sleeves will also reduce your exposure to harmful UV rays.

If possible, avoid gardening from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when UV rays are the strongest. Just because it’s a beach umbrella doesn’t mean you can’t use it to provide yourself with a little shade while working in the yard. Local weather services warn of UV alert levels of three or higher that mandate protective measures. Wearing sunglasses can protect the eyes from UV rays.

Hydration and heat exposure precautions

It’s important to drink enough water daily, especially when gardening, ESPECIALLY in summer in Florida. Along with that application of sunscreen, drink water before going out in the garden. Of course, take some water out with you and remember to drink it. Use the timer feature on your smart watch or phone to remind you it’s time to drink some water. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty.

How much water is enough?

The Mayo Clinic and Harvard Medical School advise 15.5 cups per day for men and 11.5 cups per day for women. That amount can vary dependent on temperature, activity level, humidity, and some medical conditions. Mayo suggests you’re probably getting enough if you’re rarely thirsty and your urine is “colorless or pale yellow”. Drinking too much water is rarely a problem. Your health care provider can help you determine how much is right for you.

What about other fluids? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises against consuming alcohol or heavily sugared drinks as a hydration plan. Alcohol can be dehydrating and impair attention and concentration.

Sugary drinks like soda add unnecessary calories. Lemon, fruit like strawberries, or a splash of a sports drink added to water may make it more enjoyable. Hydration powders can also be added to assure balanced electrolytes when sweating profusely. Electrolytes like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, etc. keep the body functioning properly.

Avoid the heat

If possible, avoid gardening during the hottest times of the day, i.e., from late morning to midafternoon. Young children under the age of 4 and folks over 65 are the most susceptible to heat-related illness and it can also be dangerous for people who are overweight, on certain medications for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation.

Warning symptoms of heat exhaustion or worrisome dehydration include high body temperature, headache, rapid pulse, dizziness, nausea, muscle cramps, mental confusion, cool moist skin with goosebumps, and feeling faint.

The Mayo Clinic advises stopping all activity, moving to a cooler place, and drinking cool water. If symptoms persist, medical attention may be advisable. They caution that heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke which is a life-threatening condition.

Reviewing and using health and safety tips in the garden won’t guarantee a bumper crop but it may make gardening more enjoyable and keep you out of the ER.

Mary Janik is a Master Gardener Volunteer with UF/IFAS Leon County Extension, an Equal Opportunity Institution. For gardening questions, email [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Protect yourself from garden hazards like bugs, chemicals and heat