If you have plants in your backyard and small children or pets its helpful to know what plants may be poisonous.

Poisonous plants may cause illness if chewed on or touched. It all depends on the plant and the person.

Many flowering plants may look pretty but can have flowers or leaves that will make some people ill. Castor beans are very poisonous and many grow this beautiful plant as an accent plant. I grow it for its beauty and also because it control moles, which I have in abundance in my backyard. But because if its poisonous attributes I grow it behind fencing.

The following you tube will show you a few poisonous but popular flowering plants.

Poison Ivy or Poison Oak affects everyone differently but knowing what it looks like and removing it from you backyard will benefit all. There are certain sumac plants that will make people ill. And many wild plants and weeds will affect people with a rash if picked.

If your yard is very big or contains a wooded area there may be many toxic plants.

One tip is if a plant has a red stem it is often poisonous. One tip I follow is if I don’t know a plant, I don’t touch it.

Learning to identify plants can be both beneficial and a fun project. These videos should have helped you to better recognize plants that may grow in your backyard or community.

 

There are hazards in most people’s backyards that they are unaware of. Stop to take the time out to really look at your backyard area and you may be surprised at what you see.

Check for any standing water in your yard. Even the smallest collection of water can become a haven for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can carry the West Nile Virus and many other diseases. Make it a point to do a weekly check of your backyard to make sure there is no standing water anywhere on you property. It’s so easy to set a bucket down and forget it there.

Small buckets and pails can also hold enough water for a child to drink and get ill or to drown in.

Cut down on the amount of pesticides that you are use in your backyard. Pesticides can build up over time and make you and your pets very ill. Instead of using pesticides try putting up birdhouses on your property that will attract birds to eat insects. You can also plant certain types of plant that attract insects that are predatory of other insects. Also try combination planting and keeping the yard picked up and tidy. Insects like overgrown areas and places with rotting material.

And if you use pesticides, make sure they are locked up. This is particularly important if you have small children or children in the neighborhood.

Check to see if cement and stone walkways are even. Its only takes one small uneven area for a person to fall and get seriously hurt.

Make sure your plants are not poisonous. Certain plants are very dangerous if eaten by pets or children.

Waterproof your deck every two years. If you don’t water can saturate the wood and cause cracks. If this is not taken care of it can eventually lead to the wood collapsing under the weight of people on your deck.

If you have a swimming or wading pool make sure you keep it covered when not in use. Also have someone outside watching children at all times. It only takes a few minutes for a tragedy to occur.

Check the health of your trees. If they have bad limbs or an illness get them trimmed or remove them.

If you have electrical lines outdoors check them to make sure they are in good shape. Also make sure no one can trip on them

With observation and care, your backyard can be a safe place to relax or play.

© 2011 Backyard Oasis Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha