Protect That Green Thumb

Precautions to avoid the top gardening hazards.

Gardening is great for your health -- unless you injure yourself in the process.

Tetanus bacteria live in soil, making yard injuries especially dangerous. Dr. Bruce Bonanno, spokesperson for the American College of Emergency Physicians, suggests precautions to avoid these top hazards:

Scratches and scrapes
Protect your hands with leather gloves, and wear long-sleeved shirts and slacks around all thorned plants.

Splinters
Wooden support stakes and broken tool handles can pierce skin. Consider bamboo stakes, and replace worn equipment.

Puncture wounds
Rakes, nails and fence wire pose hazards to even sneakered feet. Always wear work boots or shoes with hard soles.

From Reader's Digest - July 2004

 

• • Landscaping
• • Gardening

• Healthier Gardening
• 15 tips to keep your hobby safe and enjoyable
• 
• Design Your Own Container Garden
• Plant a garden in any space with a creative use of containers.
• 
• Keep Joints Limber and Arthritis at Bay
• Achieve greater mobility with these quick tips.
• 
• How to Grow Biennials
• These two-season plants require special care and knowledge.
• 
• Poisonous Plants
• A guide to poison ivy and other harmful plants.
• 
• Revitalize Your Garden!
• Enrich your garden with homemade, non-toxic soil, fertilizer, and pesticides.
• 
• Spring Is Here: Get Your Garden Growing
• Tips on how to get your garden spruced up in the spring.
• 
• The Garden Tool Safety Primer
• Simple rules for accident prevention while doing yard work.
• 
• Winterize Your Garden
• Use our checklist to help prep your plantings for the sleepy season.
• 
• The Garden Problem Solver
•