Making Your Yard Safer For Everyone In The Family
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A yard is one of the things that most prospective homeowners are looking for when shopping for a new home. Not only does it add value to a property, but a yard also enables people have access to fresh vegetables and herbs and enjoy the outdoors without having to leave their home. However, it’s also where a lot of accidents take place, and data shows that around 300,000 individuals get seriously hurt in the garden, and these injuries often need to be treated by a medical professional. Young children, seniors, and pets, in particular, have a higher risk of being injured in the garden, which is why certain steps need to be taken to make sure that everyone is safe while spending time outdoors. Here’s a guide to make your yard safer for everyone in your family.
Keep Harmful Garden Pests Away
Gardens are homes to butterflies, bees, and beetles, and these insects should be encouraged to stay since they’re pollinators that can help to maintain plant communities. However, there are insects that do more harm than good since they’re highly poisonous, and some may trigger an anaphylactic reaction in humans. These insects include Asian giant hornets, wasps and fire ants. To keep these pests away from your garden, make sure to keep your surroundings clean, and remove any food leftovers or food waste. You may also want to add insect-repellant plants to deter these pests. Rosemary, lavender, and mint can keep ants off your garden, while strongly-scented plants such as basil and lemongrass may repel wasps.
Store Gardening Tools and Equipment Properly
More than 9,000 children are injured by lawnmowers every year, which is why it’s important to store gardening tools and equipment properly to prevent accidents in your yard. Always keep your lawnmower and other tools in a protected place such as a garage or a garden shed, and never leave them out in the yard. If you use garden fertilizer, make sure to place them on shelves to keep them out of reach of children and pets. You may also want to give your kids some child-friendly gardening tools to minimize the risks of injuries if ever they feel like planting, weeding, or digging in the yard.
Slip-proof Your Yard
Slips, falls, and trips are among the most common causes of injuries among elderly adults. While most of these accidents happen indoors, it’s possible that these may take place in the garden too. Making sure to slip-proof your yard is essential to protect your loved ones from accidents which may cause their health to deteriorate. If you have a steep garden slope, install steps to help your senior loved ones to safely and easily move around your yard. Those who have a deck should also replace the flooring with a non-slip material, or paint it over with some anti-slip deck coating.
Install Ample Lighting
Some kids love to play in the garden until it’s dark, so make sure to install ample lighting to keep them safe. Apart from overhead lights, you can add some ground-level lights to create drama while adding illumination. You can also light pathways and wind string LED lights around certain trees.
Your yard is just as important as any part of your home. Consider these tips to make your garden safer for everyone in the family so that your loved ones can stay injury-free while spending time outdoors.
