When the weather picks up and days become longer, our gardens can be the most rewarding part of our homes to dwell. But how much damage is being caused by the sun’s rays when temperatures reach their warmest levels?
The threat of the sun’s UV rays is dangerous for both ourselves and our plants when we’re faced with excessive levels of exposure.
If we’re not careful, UV radiation can lead to potentially blinding eye diseases and skin cancer among other serious health issues. As the most common form of cancer in the United States, skin cancer can become a particular concern for many of us who enjoy spending our downtime making the most of the sunshine in our gardens.
When it comes to UV-B radiation, many living organisms are at risk. The harmful impact of the sun’s rays can cause damage to DNA, proteins, lipids, and membranes. For plants that use sunlight to photosynthesize, UV-B exposure can cause a significant risk.
If that’s not enough, the sun can even wreak havoc on artificial plants and cause them to lose their color.
To summarize, UV exposure needs to be taken seriously over the summer months–even if you’re only planning to use your garden sparingly as temperatures rise.
But what measures can you take to keep both yourself and your garden healthy during those warm summer climates? Let’s explore seven ways to keep the sun’s harmful rays at bay as the warm weather returns:
1. Always Remember Your Sunscreen
While we readily associate sunscreen with holidays and trips to warm climates overseas, it can sometimes be trickier to get into the habit of using it when out in the garden.
Despite this, it’s important to always remember to wear a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 that protects against both UV-A and UV-B rays every time you enter your garden in sunny weather.
For the best levels of protection, be sure to apply your sunscreen around 30 minutes before you go outside and reapply every two hours.
Although it can be difficult to remember to apply sunscreen each time you water the plants or head into your backyard to eat lunch in tranquility, it remains the most effective way of ensuring that your skin stays healthy and comfortable.
2. Shade Sales Offer Stylish Protection
The beauty of adding a shade sail to your garden is that it offers comprehensive levels of UV protection for yourself and your garden without becoming an eyesore or a nuisance over time.
Shade sails can complement your garden aesthetics, and empower you to go outside and enjoy the warm weather without having to worry about the damage being caused to your skin.
These easy-to-install features also help to keep your garden furniture safe from losing color due to the strength of the sun’s rays and can even help plants manage their exposure to UV light.
3. UPF Helps Gardeners to Stay Safe at All Times
For the many of us who like to look after our gardens regularly and enjoy as much time as possible out there in great weather, it can be difficult to keep our skin protected at all times.
Sunscreen is great but can be difficult to keep every area of exposed skin protected for the right amount of time. With this in mind, more keen gardeners and garden dwellers alike are utilizing UPF clothing for the best level of protection.
UPF is a rating scale that indicates how much UV radiation can reach the skin. For instance, UPF 50+ clothing can block at least 98% of the sun’s rays.
For gardeners in particular who can spend hours in their backyards keeping their flowers and hedges fresh throughout the summer, UPF clothing serves as an excellent way of working without having to worry about skin exposure levels.
4. UV Spray Helps Plants and Objects Around You
Sadly, all sorts of garden mainstays are negatively impacted by UV rays during the summer months. As if it’s not enough to keep our skin and plants protected from the sun, our artificial plants and garden furniture can also fall victim to harmful levels of sunlight.
The best way to ensure that our garden fabrics like umbrellas or artificial plants are kept safe and as colorful as ever in the sunshine is through the use of UV spray.
UV spray, or umbrella spray, is an easy-to-use way of preserving the color and durability of the materials out in your garden to ensure more long-term performance without the threat of UV rays causing fading or cracking.
5. Manage Your Sun Time Accordingly
The sun is typically at its strongest between 11 am and 3 pm, and if you’re planning on spending prolonged periods in your garden, it’s certainly worth looking to avoid this peak time or to attempt to spend lunchtime working in areas like your shed to ensure consistent shade.
Fortunately, we’re blessed to have technology on hand to help us out when it comes to managing our UV safety. Using our smartphones to set regular alarms to remind us that it’s time to reapply sunscreen or that we should take a break is a great way to manage exposure and avoid damaging our skin.
6. Hedges and Trellis Offer More Shade
If your garden receives heavy levels of exposure to the sun during the summer months, providing respite through installing a trellis or adding more hedges to provide shade can be a great and stylish way to offer some resilience against UV rays.
While this approach requires some foresight into just how much light your plants will receive in newly shaded areas, it can be a great way to gain more protection for your skin in seating areas while preserving the sense of natural beauty around your garden.
7. Never Forget Hydration
Hydration can be a big issue when it comes to spending lots of time in your garden, but it can also offer a great opportunity to manage your exposure to UV rays.
Bringing a drink with you into the garden and placing it in a shaded area near your sunscreen can be a great source of regular refuge as you go to take a sip and are reminded to take a moment to cool down or reapply your protection.
Building Habits Paves the Way for Healthy Gardens
The best way to enjoy your garden safely is to set yourself up with habits that can keep your skin and plants safe.
Remembering to always apply sunscreen before entering the garden and carrying a drink out with you, or putting on protective clothing, can help you to keep your body healthier for longer during prolonged exposure.
In addition to this, looking out for signs of your plants or garden furniture struggling in the heat regularly can pave the way for more decisive action and a garden that can continue to thrive long into the future.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
