Gardeners should be as conscientious about protecting themselves from ultra–violet radiation (UVR) as they are about selecting and siting their plants in appropriate light conditions— sun or shade. Plant tissue and human skin suffer deleterious consequences from exposure to the sun.

Sunburn on plants usually occurs to leaves receiving too much light and heat and inadequate moisture. Sunburn on human skin leads to premature aging and skin cancers. No gardener consciously considers acquiring the complexion of a sun–dried raisin when creating beautiful landscapes.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. Eighty percent of one’s lifetime exposure to the sun is acquired after the age of 18. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends hats as one important element in an arsenal of ways to protect a gardener’s skin.

Hats are a stylish as well as a sun–safe way to garden. The broad– brimmed picture hat, often referred to as the garden hat, offers good shade. Many hat styles from boaters, buckets to Panama and safari provide sun protection. Fabric density is a factor to consider when buying a sunhat. Most summer garden hats are made of straw, raffia, or cotton. The denser weaves give more sun protection. Test out hats by holding them up in bright light. If light shows through the fabric, the hat will not offer UV protection.

This attractive wide–brimmed straw has an open weave letting too much UVR onto the face. Hats with a brim of at least three to four inches and those with brims angled down give more cover to facial features like the nose, cheeks, ears, and eyes and to the back of the neck. The Skin Cancer Foundation notes that a wide–brimmed hat offers a sun protection factor (SPF) of 5 to one’s sunscreen.

The broad–brimmed garden hat is a perennial favor i te and glamorous headpiece for working in the garden and for garden parties. Some hats are specifically manufactured for ultraviolet protection (UPF) and the UPF is on the label. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends fabrics with a UPF of 30 or higher. For example, a UPF of 30 allows 1/30th of the sun’s UVR to reach the skin.

Age of the gardener does not determine whether hats are appropriate sun protection or not. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents dress children including infants in hats with a brim and UV protection sunglasses when outdoors.

Hats along with sunscreen, sunglasses, protective clothing, and attending to exposure time and duration are the gardener’s arsenal for sun–safe gardening.

When headed out to the garden with gloves in hand, don the hat as well.
Rebekah Cline spends long hours in the sun at home and at work.
Plantsman Richard Hager wears sun protection while propagating native plants.