Believe it or not, there is no such thing as gardening hygiene. Just like humans, plants can also be affected by harmful microbes. There are good bacteria that form in the soil and will help your plants grow. However, harmful bacteria can get on plants and affect their growth. That can all be avoided with simple gardening hygiene measures as you grow your plants.
Many gardeners forget about gardening hygiene, but cleanliness will save you hard aches in the long run. The first rule of gardening hygiene is to contain the spread of bacteria. Some bacteria are good, but too much of anything can be a bad thing. You can cut down on bacteria by cleaning gardening instruments like shears, clippers, and grass blades.
Blades can carry all sorts of bacteria and can spread if the blades are not cleaned regularly. Ensure that lawnmower grass blades are adequately sharpened or replaced since dull blades spread bacteria across your lawn by leaving behind dried grass residue, which dries and forms bacteria. When making mulch or compost, ensure that the plants you are using are healthy and contain no disease or any form of mold.
Using sick plant materials will come to infect your plants. When making compost, balance out the proper green and brown ingredients to make the compost loose and allow air to get in. Ensure that compost is not wet, which can rot and form a foul stench of sewer and rotted eggs.
There should be no foul smell when making compost; if there is, your compost pile contains terrible microbes that can spread disease and attract all sorts of unwanted pests. If your compost pile smells horrendous, it is best to get rid of it and start from scratch. Do not try and salvage the pile since harmful microbes have already infected the area, and you do not want any lingering microbes of that nature anywhere near your garden.
While composting, be on the lookout for flies that love to lay eggs in rotted piles, especially fruit flies. Keep any compost area covered to prevent insects from laying eggs in your pile. When using fertilizer, always wear gloves or wash your hands when finished.
Gardening is a fun process, but if you garden without gloves, keep your hands away from your face. Gardening is fun, but it can be a dirty process, and you don’t want any harmful germs on your face, ears, and mouth, which is why many people get sick. Overall, gardening hygiene requires careful measures, but it is necessary to maintain a safe and happy garden.
