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So far SafeGardening has created 132 blog entries.

Composting: Safety Guidelines

By |2021-05-24T14:18:30+00:00February 14, 2012|Case Studies|

Composting is gaining favour as waste management increasingly becomes an issue. As financial and ecological considerations take hold in the UK we are rediscovering ways of embracing the cycle of life. Composting and safety It's not hard to see the benefits of composting – all your vegetable cooking waste and [...]

Electricity and Garden Safety

By |2021-05-24T14:18:30+00:00September 23, 2011|Power Tools|

Electricity has become such a necessity in our everyday lives that we sometimes forget how dangerous it can be. Data collated by the Electrical Safety Council from the World Health Organisation (WHO), local government in the UK and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) delivers some surprising statistics: on average [...]

Sun Safety: Choosing Hats and Sunglasses

By |2021-05-24T14:18:30+00:00February 28, 2011|Personal Protection|

We are all more and more aware of the dangers posed by over-exposure to the sun. Hats and sunglasses can protect you from the major problems, damage to the eyes and heatstroke from literally over-heating. Sunhat Choices If you're really stuck then grabbing any hat will do. That will be [...]

Garden Planting for People With Failing Sight

By |2021-05-24T14:18:30+00:00February 24, 2011|Gardening for Pensioners|

There are two aspects to planting in gardens for people with failing sight. The first is using tools and aids to make potting of seeds, bulbs and seedlings easier, in their early stages. The second stage is planting out in the garden as the year moves on. Potting Seeds, Bulbs [...]

Sail Shades for Contemporary Sun Protection

By |2021-05-24T14:18:30+00:00February 23, 2011|Garden Environment|

Protection from the sun makes a garden more accommodating in the height of summer as well as being safer. Over exposure to the sun is responsible for well-documented problems with skin cancer, not to mention the not-so-flattering leathery skin look. Conventional Options for Garden Shade In other articles on this [...]

Protecting Ponds and Water Features from Freezing Weather

By |2021-05-24T14:18:30+00:00February 19, 2011|Water|

Ponds and fountains can be attractive and relaxing elements of your garden design, but the long winter months can present problems for water feature owners. A little time spent preparing for bad weather will keep your garden safe and ready to enjoy when spring arrives. Keep Safe from Frost Winter [...]

Cleaning Decking Safely

By |2021-05-24T14:18:30+00:00February 10, 2011|Garden Environment|

Decking needs cleaning regularly throughout the year to prevent moss and algae building up and making it slippery. The secondary aspect of cleaning decking is the safety of the cleaning products you use, both for you and the environment. Some sources for example, recommend hydrogen peroxide (bleach to you and [...]

How to Strip a Lawn in One Easy Lesson: Case Study

By |2021-05-24T14:18:31+00:00August 24, 2010|Case Studies|

This case study warns of a few perils that we haven't actually covered in articles on this site yet, probably because they are so bizarre. Safety Second, or Even Third! Who would have thought that removing a tree stump could be so dangerous, being launched across a garden? And a [...]

Retractable Shades and Canopies

By |2021-05-24T14:18:31+00:00August 22, 2010|Garden Environment|

Although the sun is a source of energy the dangers of over-exposure are well documented. In another article in this section we talked about these dangers and how to enjoy your garden but keep in the shade, with various lightweight and portable solutions. In this article we'll look at more [...]

Don’t Underestimate Bonfires: Case Study

By |2021-05-24T14:18:31+00:00August 17, 2010|Case Studies|

Time and time again you hear the warnings about bonfires and how dangerous they can be, particularly around bonfire night. But this isn’t a story about Guy Fawkes Night. No, it's a story about a common or garden bonfire that just wouldn't lie down and die. And it's a salutary [...]

Portable Shade for Protection from the Sun

By |2021-05-24T14:18:31+00:00August 16, 2010|Garden Environment|

Britons are finally waking up to the dangers of excessive sunbathing but still many more people die of skin cancer in this country than in hotter countries, Australia for example. This is possibly because awareness of skin cancer is higher and early diagnosis more prevalent because of the experience there. [...]

Equipment and Tools to Help Plant Out

By |2021-05-24T14:18:31+00:00May 4, 2010|Gardening for Pensioners|

Planting out is a job that needs to be made as easy as possible. When it's time to plant out all the new seedlings that you've nurtured, either in the garden or allotment, you need the proper tools for the job. Help Getting to Ground Level To take the strain [...]

Is Your Garden Legally Safe?

By |2021-05-24T14:18:31+00:00April 28, 2010|Personal Protection|

As a home owner you have certain obligations concerning your garden. Boundaries, trees and the holding and disposing of toxins are the main legal aspects of having a garden. What's allowed and what isn't? What should you know? Boundaries, Ownership and Responsibilities When you buy your house you should ask [...]

Safety of Garden Ornaments and Statues

By |2021-05-24T14:18:31+00:00April 28, 2010|Personal Protection|

Fountains, statues, garden gnomes, bird baths... most of us have some kind of ornament or feature in our garden to add that finishing touch. But while you are admiring the fruits of your labours, have you considered whether they are safe? The last thing you want is for your statues [...]

Defensive Planting for Household Security

By |2021-05-24T14:18:32+00:00April 11, 2010|Personal Protection|

Home owners today are much more aware of security. Burglar alarms are commonplace, people lock their doors and windows and are careful when it comes to their spare keys. But securing the house is not the only way to deter intruders. How you organise your garden plays an important role. [...]

Hand Tools for Arthritis Suffers

By |2021-05-24T14:18:32+00:00November 18, 2009|Gardening for Pensioners|

One of the problems with arthritis, which affects many people as they get older, is a loss of grip and mobility in the fingers and hands. Gardeners feel this very keenly as much of the work in the garden needs strength and mobility. As people are living longer the market [...]

Lawn Care: Specialist Tools for the Elderly or Wheelchair Bound

By |2021-05-24T14:18:32+00:00November 16, 2009|Gardening for Pensioners|

Taking care of a lawn is something of a burden for fit able-bodied people, after all they have to drag the mower out once or even twice a week sometimes, in the summer. But for people in wheelchairs or otherwise less able to move around, lawn care can be difficult [...]

Pool and Pond Safety: Flotation Devices and Alarms

By |2021-05-24T14:18:32+00:00November 16, 2009|Water|

We've covered pool fencing and pool covers in an earlier article, so here we're taking a look at more safety devices that can help families, children in particular, to enjoy domestic pools in safety. These devices divide into two broad categories, flotation devices to support those who fall in a [...]

How to Tell If a Tree is Safe or Needs Felling

By |2021-05-24T14:18:32+00:00August 3, 2009|Personal Protection|

There are many reasons for felling trees and just as many for keeping them as long as possible. Safety is one of the main reasons for felling trees though, probably second only to household insurance claims, but there are a number of checks that need to be made before a [...]

Safe Ways to Heat Your Patio

By |2021-05-24T14:18:32+00:00July 30, 2009|Garden Environment|

Gas heaters for patios were not really seen in the United Kingdom until about ten to fifteen years ago, when they began to appear in commercial situations, outside cafés, pubs and restaurants. Similar models, again using liquid petroleum gas (LPG), very quickly began to appear on the domestic market as [...]

Safe Gardening With Children: Interview With a Brownie Leader

By |2021-05-24T14:18:32+00:00July 29, 2009|Case Studies|

Getting children involved with gardening at an early stage can be very rewarding and this is not lost on activity groups like Cubs and Brownies. They do, of course, have to be very sensitive to the safety of the children in their charge though. This is usually applied to background [...]

Danger of Tree Climbing to Collect Fruit: A Case Study

By |2021-05-24T14:18:33+00:00July 27, 2009|Case Studies|

Recent stories in the news of a girl who died falling from a tree have highlighted the dangers involved in the traditional children’s pastime of climbing trees. Without wanting to wrap children in cotton wool it does make sense to assess the dangers as serious injuries can be sustained by [...]

Safe Water Collection Around Children and the Elderly

By |2021-05-24T14:18:33+00:00July 27, 2009|Water|

As climate change forces wider extremes of weather on the United Kingdom, gardeners are increasingly saving water in butts and tanks to use in times of drought. This is all well and good but water storage is rife with dangers, especially for those who might not be aware of the [...]

Choosing Safe, Non Toxic Stains and Paints for Fences

By |2021-05-24T14:18:33+00:00July 27, 2009|Poisons and Toxins|

As people throughout the UK become more sensitive about ecological issues, looking for green and non-toxic wood paints and stains has become more popular. The dangers of wood paints and stains were brought into sharp relief by the banning of creosote sales to the DIY market by the European Union [...]

Can Neighbour Spray Weedkiller Into My Garden?

By |2021-05-24T14:18:33+00:00July 10, 2009|Case Studies|

Well, you're right, your neighbour has no right to spray weedkiller into your garden. There are few laws that specifically control this kind of behaviour so you have to fall back on the property based legal framework, as the garden is as much a part of your property as your [...]

Why to Keep a Lawn & Some Maintenance Tips

By |2021-05-24T14:18:33+00:00March 27, 2009|Gardening for Pensioners|

Lawns can look fantastic but it takes a lot of work to get them that way and, more to the point, keep them in check. Many people are turning away from lawns in any case because of the ecological consequences; all that watering in particular. It's hard to keep lawns [...]

Espalier Training for Fruit Trees

By |2021-05-24T14:18:33+00:00March 24, 2009|Fruit and Veg|

Espalier is the art of training trees, usually fruit trees, in two-dimensional forms, often against a wall. This can be seen in older kitchen gardens in the United Kingdom, particularly those attached to country manor houses, although it is a form that has been in and out of fashion since [...]

Gardening Tips For People With Poor Eyesight

By |2021-05-24T14:18:34+00:00November 12, 2008|Gardening for Pensioners|

Gardening can be dangerous at the best of times but for those who have poor eyesight or who are visually impaired, it can be even more precarious. Of course, it’s important to use your common sense when it comes to actually gardening if your eyesight isn’t great, especially when it [...]

Creating A Safe Garden For Asthmatics

By |2021-05-24T14:18:34+00:00November 12, 2008|Gardening for Pensioners|

If you are asthmatic, it shouldn’t prevent you from spending time in the garden, whether that’s to relax or to do some gardening, as there are several things you can do to reduce the effects of pollen and other allergens if you’re an asthma sufferer. However, it should also be [...]

Raised Flower Bed Gardening

By |2021-05-24T14:18:34+00:00November 7, 2008|Gardening for Pensioners|

Raised flower bed gardening is a good alternative to conventional gardening and is rather like container gardening, except on a grander scale. It is the perfect form of gardening for elderly people or those who may have difficulty bending down a lot. They are ideal for planting small plots of [...]

Adapting Tools And Equipment

By |2021-05-24T14:18:34+00:00November 6, 2008|Gardening for Pensioners|

If you are elderly and you’re no longer as capable of using traditional gardening tools or if you are disabled, this does not mean that you have to give up on your gardening activities. Although you may have to make some slight adjustments or hand over certain tasks to someone [...]

Mental And Physical Considerations

By |2021-05-24T14:18:34+00:00November 6, 2008|Gardening for Pensioners|

Medical opinion would support the notion that gardening is a beneficial activity for the elderly to get involved with in an effort to maintain and improve your general physical fitness and mental well-being. Nevertheless, it’s important not to overdo things and to know your limitations. Even when you think you [...]

The Health Benefits Of Gardening

By |2021-05-24T14:18:34+00:00November 6, 2008|Gardening for Pensioners|

It is hardly surprising that many elderly people enjoy gardening as it’s a healthy way of maintaining your fitness and is an activity which can be as strenuous or gentle as you want it to be as you can carry out tasks which suit your capabilities. Even if you have [...]

Gardening Tips For The Disabled

By |2021-05-24T14:18:35+00:00July 23, 2008|Garden Environment|

Whether you’re an elderly person who has enjoyed gardening all of your life but have now found that it’s become a bit of a struggle physically or you’re a younger person who has always had some kind of disability – it doesn’t necessarily mean that gardening should be off limits. [...]

Common Pond Pests and How to Deal With Them

By |2021-05-24T14:18:35+00:00June 24, 2008|Water|

Garden ponds make an attractive addition to any garden and, for the most part, providing the pond has been designed and situated correctly and you keep on top of the maintenance of your pond in terms of cleaning it out, skimming the surface for rotting leaves and vegetation, for example, [...]

Dangerous Plants To Pets

By |2021-05-24T14:18:35+00:00May 20, 2008|Poisons and Toxins|

Even the smallest of garden centres will usually boast enough of a range of attractive plants to keep most gardeners happy, but unfortunately for homes with pets, sometimes even the most beautiful-looking flowers can hide a more dangerous side. In nature, with so many different types of animals ready to [...]

Gardening Crop Rotation: Safety Benefits

By |2021-05-24T14:18:35+00:00April 13, 2008|Garden Environment|

Although most of us are familiar with crop rotation when it comes to farming, keen and knowledgeable gardeners will also understand the safety benefits of crop rotation even within a garden setting. At its most basic level, it’s not too difficult to achieve and can also make gardening even more [...]

When Do Gardening Chemicals Become Hazardous

By |2021-05-24T14:18:35+00:00February 14, 2008|Garden Chemicals|

Many gardeners fall into the trap of buying far more chemicals than they need each year and many of us will have some kind of garden chemical containers which have not been fully used up gathering dust in our sheds or garages somewhere. The problem is that some of these [...]

Building a Kid’s Tree House Safely

By |2021-05-24T14:18:35+00:00August 22, 2007|Pets and Children|

Like any kind of ‘den’ or a ‘special’ place which children can call their own, a tree house can be a magical place for a child and they’re sure to have so many special memories of their time spent playing in and around their tree house when they get older. [...]

Bee/Wasp Stings & Anaphylactic Shock

By |2021-05-24T14:18:36+00:00August 21, 2007|Personal Protection|

An anaphylactic reaction can be caused by being stung by a bee or a wasp if the person who is stung is allergic to the venom. As bees in particular, leave the stinger containing the poisonous sac embedded in the skin, the sooner you can remove the stinger, the less [...]

Treating Bee Stings and Bites

By |2021-05-24T14:18:36+00:00August 21, 2007|Personal Protection|

Although most bees and wasps won’t bother you unless they feel they’re being threatened or they become highly excitable, there’s always the possibility that you might get stung at some point and you’re almost certainly going to get bitten by mosquitoes and, perhaps, by black flies too if you’re out [...]

Installing Kid’s Playground Equipment

By |2021-05-24T14:18:36+00:00August 21, 2007|Pets and Children|

Gardens are places for children to enjoy as well as grown-ups and in later life, kids will have fond and vivid memories of the games they played and the equipment they had to play on when they were young. There are so many different types of play apparatus for children [...]

What to do in the Event of Poisoning

By |2021-05-24T14:18:36+00:00August 21, 2007|Poisons and Toxins|

We would all tend to think of a beautiful garden as a safe haven in which to relax and soak up the peaceful bliss, but there are many things contained within a garden environment that can be poisonous if we are not careful. These could include garden chemicals such as [...]

Gardening With Chemicals

By |2021-05-24T14:18:37+00:00February 20, 2007|Poisons and Toxins|

Using chemicals in gardening probably attracts more debate than most other issues. There are those who have always used traditional herbicides insecticides and fungicides to control insects, weeds and to protect plants from disease and they will swear by their benefits and positive effects. On the other hand, organic gardeners [...]

How To Safely Dispose of Garden Refuse

By |2021-05-24T14:18:37+00:00January 3, 2007|Garden Environment|

With increasing concerns about mankind’s effects on the planet we should all try to do our bit to reduce the amount of refuse we cannot recycle, even in the garden. Fortunately, most councils are encouraging us to address these issues and, over the past couple of years, the majority of [...]

Advice For Maintaining and Using Compost

By |2021-05-24T14:18:37+00:00January 3, 2007|Garden Environment|

A previous article on composting in this series has highlighted the types of materials which are suitable to use in the construction of a compost heap. Once you've gathered enough material it's then really just a simple matter of maintaining it. This is really about keeping it at the right [...]

The Impact Weather Conditions Have on Gardening

By |2021-05-24T14:18:38+00:00November 24, 2006|Garden Environment|

Weather and climate both have a profound effect on gardening, especially so in the UK where the weather can be unpredictable. The most important periods of the year occur during the growing season (between spring and autumn) are sunlight, rainfall, temperature, wind, and frost all play a role in determining [...]

Repetitive Strain and CTD

By |2021-05-24T14:18:38+00:00November 24, 2006|Personal Protection|

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) and Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD) are quite often associated with injuries and medical conditions most associated with the work environment, e.g. people who use computer keyboards every day often suffer with RSI if they fail to take proper health and safety precautions. However, both of these [...]

Prepare and Store Home Grown Fruit and Vegetables

By |2021-05-24T14:18:38+00:00November 22, 2006|Fruit and Veg|

There is no specific time of the year when you should begin harvesting your produce as fruit and vegetables become ripe and ready to harvest at different times of the year. Climate, variety and the particular season are other factors that have an impact but you should always remember that [...]

Gardening Without Pesticides

By |2021-05-24T14:18:39+00:00November 20, 2006|Poisons and Toxins|

Although creatures such as slugs, snails and certain types of flies can cause problems to gardeners, it's important to remember that all these kinds of creatures form part of the natural eco-system and it is possible to still maintain a healthy garden without resorting to the use of pesticides. Dangers [...]

Which Wild Plants are Safe to Consume?

By |2021-05-24T14:18:39+00:00November 20, 2006|Fruit and Veg|

This is never an easy question to answer unless you know your wild plant book from back to front, inside and out and can identify every plant within it. The most crucial factor in using plants for food is to avoid accidental poisoning. The general rule is if you can't [...]

Advice When Buying Child Sized Tools

By |2021-05-24T14:18:40+00:00November 3, 2006|Pets and Children|

Gardens provide a safe place for children to experience the wonders of nature at close quarters and to discover the cycles of life and getting them to participate in the actual gardening helps them to develop an understanding of the environment and instils a sense of respect for nature. It [...]

Wildlife Threats to the Garden

By |2021-05-24T14:18:40+00:00November 3, 2006|Garden Wildlife|

Most keen gardeners who are also nature lovers may actively encourage wildlife into the garden in appropriate ways. It can be something as simple as putting out bird seed on a bird table or hanging nuts for squirrels. However, on occasion, certain species of resident or visiting wildlife may be [...]

Cooking and Eating Your Produce

By |2021-05-24T14:18:40+00:00October 31, 2006|Fruit and Veg|

Nothing tastes better than fresh produce and what better way to have fruit, vegetables and herbs readily available than by growing them yourself. A kitchen garden not only gives you fresh produce but it also makes your garden look and smell more interesting. You can simply start off by growing [...]

Will My Plants Survive This Soil Type?

By |2021-05-24T14:18:40+00:00October 30, 2006|Plants and Planting|

Soils are often categorised as sandy, silty or clay, although there are other varieties too. To find put which type you have, simply rub a small amount between your fingers. If it's smooth, it's silt. If it can be rolled into a ball it's clay and if it's gritty, it's [...]

Tips For Designing a Safe Water Feature

By |2021-05-24T14:18:40+00:00October 30, 2006|Water|

If you are considering a water feature for your garden, it's important to make safety a top priority, especially if you have young children. Anyone can stumble or fall into a water feature, with young children being particularly vulnerable. Types of Water Feature The term 'water feature' encompasses a whole [...]

Hedge Cutters, Pruners and Trimmers

By |2021-05-24T14:18:41+00:00October 23, 2006|Power Tools|

Gardening is a passion for many people. It's worth mentioning, however, that working in the garden can be very hazardous as you may be dealing with sharp tools and electrical equipment so you need to pay due care and attention when operating this kind of equipment. Hedge Cutters Although a [...]

Safe Fertilisers

By |2021-05-24T14:18:41+00:00September 5, 2006|Garden Chemicals|

Toxic commercial fertilisers, with their toxic chemical ingredients, can frequently be replaced by easier and safer organic methods. You can eliminate the use of most commercial chemical fertilisers, weed killers and pesticides and still grow healthy and flourishing gardens. Do a Soil Test To determine the right sort of fertiliser [...]

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