Katie’s Korner<br>KATIE HUNTER, Special to The Standard

Hello everyone, let me introduce myself, my name is Katie. I am a local, born and raised right here in Port Perry resident. I am a very active person, who loves photography, gardening, and learning new things to keep my mind active. I work in our local retirement community, so my column will be addressing the needs of our senior community.

Summer is in full swing, and so is gardening. Most of us love to garden, correct? To help out, I would like to share some of my healthy gardening tips.

Dress the part.

When working outside, protect your skin, not only from the sun but from some weeds which may hurt your skin, like stinging nettle.

Pick the right time of day.

Early morning or later in the evening are the best times to garden outside, as it is then the sun is the least hot at these.

Stay hydrated.

Although you’re just in your garden, you are still being active, and as such will expend more water, so resupplying this water loss is important.

Use appropriate tools.

Choosing the right plants is up to you, and picking the right tool for the job will make the task much easier reducing strain and increasing the enjoyable aspect of your projects.

Involve others.

The more, the merrier, right? My children help their grandparents out in the garden, just by watering. It gets everyone interacting together.

For us, who love to garden; remember, it boosts energy levels and promotes a good night’s sleep.

I’ve always loved community and helping others. Being a good person has never hurt the wallet.