Whether it is sun exposure, working with herbicides or pesticides, or taking care of your body, all must be considered within the safety of gardening, which was the topic of Homewood’s Green Thumb Saturdays, May 9, at the Homewood Village Hall.
Homewood Tree Committee member Tony Greep gave a presentation to residents called Body Smart Gardening and he covered the proper ways gardeners can protect themselves while doing their work.
The main topics included ways people can protect their bodies by wearing proper protective clothing, using high-quality tools, and trying various gardening methods to make sure they don’t overexert themselves.
Greep made sure to reiterate the importance of stretching before and during gardening and to vary tasks, so people do not stress their bodies out with repetition.
“Rather than doing it all at once, a big rule of thumb is to do some of it and break away to do some edging, maybe pull some weeds, water, and then go back and cycle through different tasks,” Greep said.
Much of gardening will be done during the warmer months, which means being out in the sun for long durations, so making sure people have sunscreen and proper clothing is a key factor.
He also noted that it’s important for people to know how to identify heatstroke or sunstroke, and heat exhaustion.
Heat or sunstroke can be identified the absence of sweating, dizziness and dry skin. Heat exhaustion signs include excessive sweating, tiredness and feeling lightheaded.
Using the proper tools for gardening and not skimping out is very important, Greep said. Making sure not to buy cheap tools that will not last or get dull fast will help to have long-lasting tools people will not need to replace often.
Most gardening tools are made of aluminum, fiberglass, wood, and steel or iron heads. Greep said things like fiber glass and wood can break down overtime, and steel and iron heads mean dealing with the possibility of rust.
Covering tools with things like duct tape, foam padding, and scarves will also help the tools blend in less with the terrain while gardening, Greep said.
Making sure people wear clothing that covers most of the body while gardening is essential, ranging from having built-in sun protection, hats to protect people’s face and neck, closed shoes, and the proper gloves for the task at hand, Greep said
Additional things to wear that he mentioned to make things easier are having a tool belt, sturdy pants with pockets, or an apron for storing them on you, he said.
When getting into methods for gardening, Greep said it is important for people to keep the center of gravity and not just use their backs to do all the work.
“A lot of gardening is raking and even shoveling. The back is involved in those motions, but they shouldn’t be the only thing we use,” Greep said. “You have to use your core; you have to engage your core on some level.”
He also recommended that people consider native plants, which adapt better to climate extremes and to worry less about non-invasive plants.
Using healthy plants, fresh seeds, and being sure to fertilize properly are also things that can help with better results, Greep said.
Questions from the audience range from pest control methods to controlling invasive buckthorn, and what could be the best way to grow cherry tomatoes.
If people have other questions, Greep recommended using the University of Illinois Extension website.
