Safe Gardening
- Mosquitoes are more than just pesky--they can carry disease. Do garden chores when mosquitoes are less active. Cover up with lightweight clothing when outdoors. The Centers for Disease Control recommends applying repellent, noting that products containing DEET or Picaridin were most effective in scientific studies. Oil of lemon eucalyptus, a plant-based repellent, has also been shown to provide protection similar to repellents with low concentrations of DEET. For more information, go to www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/
westnile/qa/insect_repellent.htm - Tetanus bacteria lurk in garden soil--all it takes is a cut, scrape or splinter to invite infection. It’s easy to avoid this potentially deadly disease: Make sure you are vaccinated at least every 10 years.