Anyone who has a garden will get it. When it comes to maintenance, they can become a genuine nightmare, especially in the summer when it seems like things simply won’t stop growing. However, while the temptation to turn a blind eye might be strong, it is one that you should resist as best as you can as, believe it or not, a poorly maintenance garden can become a real garden.
4 Backyard Hazards Never to Ignore
Take care of these backyard hazards to improve personal safety.
1 – Watch those trees
If you have trees in your garden, then there are various reasons to make sure that they get the care they need. First of all, they can cause a lot of debris in the form of leaves, twigs, and general plant matter falling that can fill up and clog your gutters, leading to leaks. However, when those branches start getting overly heavy, they can also fall, which can do real damage to anything (or anyone) who is standing beneath them. Working with an arborist once a year can make sure this doesn’t happen.
2 – Mind your footing
If you have a lot of plant-life in your garden, you might be surprised just how much it can affect your surfaces. Patios, walkways, driveways, and the like can all become home to a film of organic matter that can be rather slippery when wet or simply left lying too long, making it a real tripping hazard. Pressure washing these surfaces can help reduce their slipperiness greatly, making it easier to stand and feel more secure in the garden. Otherwise, you could see a real risk of bodily injury in the garden, which no-one wants.
3 – Watch that wood
If you have any wooden furniture or fixtures in the garden, be it seating, tables, decking, or the like, then it is vitally important that you take the time and care to protect them from the elements as best as possible. Wood furniture maintenance for the garden can include repairing and resealing, primarily to prevent rot and the loss of structural integrity over time. Wooden decking breaking while someone is standing on it can lead to very real injury, the same with sitting on a chair that will fall apart.
4 – Protecting against pests
They might not be as dramatic as slip, trip, or something falling from the sky, but pests can do real harm to you and your home. This can include contaminating your food supply, spreading diseases, leaving droppings around, and decreasing the home’s air quality, such as by leaving their dirty dander around the place. If you have an overgrown garden, you provide a lot of cover for pests that might infiltrate your home, your water supply, and a lot of different places. Invest in pest control if you think you might have a problem with uninvited guests.
The Takeaway: Address These Backyard Hazards
You don’t need to design the garden of your dreams right here and now. But you must address these backyard hazards to keep things safe for you, your family, and your home.
She has a B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education/English and a Spanish Minor. In addition, she holds a Certificates in Natural Health and Herbology from accredited programs. She pursued these natural wellness certifications due to her love for herb gardening.
Despite freelancing to make a living, her love is "all things home."
Deborah grew up in a family that grew a large vegetable garden and a fruit orchard, helping her parents pull weeds and can home-grown foods as part of her childhood. In fact, she had no idea that she could purchase veggies and fruits in pre-packed steel cans until she went to college and made a food run.
Today, she lives in Bertie County, North Carolina, an agricultural rural area with more chickens than people. She lives with her husband and two rescue pets a sweet toy fox terrier and a cat who showed up one day and moved into the house. Together, they enjoy DIY projects, furniture refinishing, gardening, and canning.
