Cooperative Living March/April 2014 - 25

HEALTHY TAKE
Spring Gardening
Safety Tips
As sharp winter winds give way to soft breezes, warm weather puts a
spring into the step of any outdoor enthusiast. The approach of growing
season gives many gardeners an uncontrollable urge to beautify
their property or begin near-frantic landscape restorations. Use care so
you don't overexert yourself during the transition to spring - slowly
adapt your body to the rigors of outdoor work. Here are some tips
that will help ensure any gardener's physical health and well-being:
woven clothing when working in areas
with lots of trees, bushes and long
grasses, tucking in your shirts and pants
legs. When you're done outside,
immediately check your body all over for
ticks and remove any you may find with
tweezers.
Stay Hydrated: Gardening's
Suit Up Properly: Wear longsleeved
clothing when performing
maintenance trimming on landscape
shrubs and trees. Add protective safety
goggles for all tasks involving hand saws
or chain sawing. Use a pair of goodquality
gloves to protect hands from
repetitive motion from using shovels,
rakes and pruning equipment. Have a
set of earplugs on hand to help save
your hearing when operating noisy
machinery.
Warm Up Your Muscles: The
sedentary lifestyle of winter gets shelved
quickly with the wealth of spring chores.
Don't throw yourself into hard labor
weeding, pulling and pruning without
warming up first. Start with 5 to 10
minutes of cardiovascular exercise such
as jumping jacks, walking briskly or jogging
in place to get the blood pumping
to your muscles. Bend from the knees
when lifting heavy objects and stand as
upright as possible when raking, hoeing
or shoveling to protect your lower back.
Shield Yourself from Those
Rays: The temptation of bright sunshine
may cause you to head outside for gardening
chores without the benefit of sun
protection. Shelter winter-white skin during
the weeks before deciduous trees
are fully leafed-out by wearing a wide
brimmed hat and applying sunscreen to
exposed areas of the body.
Protect Yourself from Ticks and
Mosquitos: Apply an effective insect
repellent, such as one containing DEET
or eucalyptus oil, and wear tightly
March-April 2014/www.co-opliving.com
exertion can cause your body to become
dehydrated, with the accompanying side
effects of dizziness and loss of physical
dexterity. Drink plenty of water before,
during and after hard work outside, even
during the cooler days of spring.
Check, Sharpen and Replace
Hand Tools: The most diligent gardeners
clean, sharpen and store tools at the
end of the season. In reality, many of us
simply chuck our tools in a heap after
finishing with our gardens for the year.
Before you head outdoors, take a few
minutes to sharpen metal edges, especially
on clippers and lopping shears,
in preparation for the pruning many
plants require in spring. Check that
handles attach securely to shovel blades,
trowels and rakes, and examine wooden
handles for defects and splinters. Replace
worn handles or dispose of tools that
can't be repaired safely.
Tune-Up Motor Equipment: Use
leaf blowers, power washers and mowers
with care and never when drinking
alcohol. Keep clear of moving parts and
perform regular maintenance on motorized
equipment to keep it in top working
order. Never work on any engine-driven
machine while the motor is running. 
Sources: Center for Disease Control and
Prevention, www.cdc.gov; Garden Guides,
www.gardenguides.com
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http://www.cdc.gov http://www.gardenguides.com
Cooperative Living March/April 2014

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