Safety In the Yard and Garden

If you’re like many Triangle-area residents, the arrival of spring means spending more time in the great outdoors as the days grow warmer and longer. Most of us assume that the property in our own backyard is perfectly safe, and very possibly, it is… for adults. If you have children or pets, however, potential dangers could be lurking. In this article we’ll take a look at points to consider in keeping your lawn and garden safe for family and visitors… Both the two-legged and the four-legged variety!

“Children and pets are particularly susceptible to easily overlooked outdoor hazards,” says Valerie Corbin, owner of Design-A-Yard Landscape Designers. “Planning ahead and obtaining information from some of the many landscaping/lawn care professionals throughout the Triangle can save you a lot of trouble and heartache.”

Mary Liljequist, landscape designer and owner of Earthly Delights agrees. “A tremendous amount of information is available online and through the North Carolina Agriculture Extension Office,” Liljequist says. “Some good decisions regarding landscape safety just involve calling on common sense and caution, especially where children and animals are concerned. If you have questions, however, a wealth of information is literally at your fingertips. It’s worth the little bit of time it takes to ask a question or type in a few search words.”

Understand that many commonly used landscape plants are poisonous to humans and pets if ingested.

A few of these lovely, yet poisonous plants, according to Liljequist, are Clematis, English Ivy, Foxglove, Juniper, Lantana, Peony, Periwinkle (Vinca minor), and Virginia Creeper. For a more extensive list of North Carolina poisonous plants, visit www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm. Information on plants harmful to pets is available via NC State University at http://ceres.cals.ncsu.edu/poisonousplants. If you suspect that a poisonous plant has been ingested, immediately call a physician or the Carolina’s Poison Center at (800) 848-6946.

Learn to recognize poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.

If you find any of these plants in your yard or garden, they should be quickly and carefully eradicated. Local garden centers can recommend appropriate herbicides and eradication procedures. An excellent website to help you identify poison ivy, oak and sumac is http://poisonivy.aesir.com.

Beware of chemical treatments for your lawn.

Although chemical treatments can enhance the appearance of your lawn, these chemicals can be extremely harmful if ingested by humans or pets. “Young children crawling on recently-treated grass is hazardous,” says Corbin. “They get chemicals on their hands, and invariably, their hands go in their mouths… Not a good situation. Same thing for dogs and cats – they get chemicals on their feet, then they lick them.” The best solution for lawns frequented by children and pets is to either forego chemical treatments or use natural alternatives. If you do choose to chemically treat your lawn, Corbin advises that you make certain your grass is completely dry before allowing children or pets access to your yard.

Look out for fire ants!

Fire ants are evidenced by unsightly lawn mounds and painful stings if their mounds are disturbed. Keep children and pets away from mounds, and destroy mounds with an appropriate pesticide recommended by a local garden center. An alternative to a pesticide, according to Corbin, is boiling a large pot of water and pouring it directly into the center of the mound. With either eradication method, monitor mound sites to make sure that they do not re-establish themselves.

Also watch out for hornet nests.

Hornet nests are often found in the ground, especially around landscape timbers or decomposing wood. Obtain a pesticide recommendation from a local garden center and eradicate these insects as soon as possible. As with fire ants, monitor the nest sites to make sure they do not become re-established.

Make wise choices regarding water features.

Although chlorinated pools in North Carolina require fencing, water features such as koi ponds do not. Be careful in your selection of water features if children or pets will have access to the area. A waterfall dropping onto pebbles instead of a pond is but one easy solution.

Apply a sealant to your wood deck and other pressure-treated lumber to prevent arsenic poisoning.

Most outdoor lumber is treated with Chromated Copper Arsenate, also known as cancer-causing arsenic, which rubs off the wood’s surface onto skin and clothing. According to David Sharpstene of Deep Seal of NC, his company offers the only sealant in the United States that creates a permanent, effective seal against arsenic release, while hardening, increasing the density of, and strengthening new or existing pressure-treated wood. A permanent,

effective seal against the release of the harmful health hazards.

Carefully think through the design of your backyard playground and keep equipment safe.

With young children, make sure you have nearby seating in order to comfortably supervise play time; with older kids, make sure play areas are visible from frequently used indoor rooms, such as the kitchen or family room. “Allow at least a six foot vacant ‘fall’ area on all sides of swing sets or other play equipment,” says Liljequist. “Check your equipment regularly for loose or broken parts, and use at least six inches of mulch around play equipment. The new recycled rubber mulches help prevent injuries due to falls,” Liljequist adds. Corbin comments that parents should also make sure that

landscaping timbers framing the mulched area are non-toxic and don’t attract bees.

Consider installing a “dog area.”

To give your dog protected outdoor space where it can play while keeping the rest of your yard nice for entertaining, consider fencing in an area just for your dog’s enjoyment. Remember in this area that Fido will need some shade!

So get outside and safely enjoy these spring days. But hurry… the dog days of summer are just around the corner!

Rebecca R. Newsome is a Freelance Writer