There seems to be quite a lot of gardening going on - those with gardens have a lot of spare time to indulge. One lady on another forum decided it was time to remove the 15 years of ivy growth at the bottom of the garden - and discovered a dunnock's nest with 3 eggs! One of the hazards of spring cleaning the garden just now ... A screen was hastily created with the ivy, Mummy and Daddy Dunnock were happy and back sitting on the eggs so all is well.
However - jinasc mentioned long fingerless gardening gloves which I thought others might appreciate hearing about too. And I wondered if anyone else has tips or favourite little helpers that make gardening and various DIY tasks less dangerous - particularly at this time when no-one really wants to visit either GP or, even more, A&E/ED!
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I bought a shower stool to work in the garden. It's light and, best of all in a sloped garden, it has adjustable legs. I can always sit on a level stool. I want to paint a fence this year and will get use out of the thing as well as for setting at the raised grow bags and beds.
I use our motorhome steps - very sturdy two steps which help me get up to higher bushes and also acts as a stool when I need a rest. Taking little rests and stretching before and after really helps the muscles.
Wish I had those - I have ripped where my hand joins the arm - gloves should have been protecting but weren't! I have also used those Gaitor things that walkers use - on my arms for nettle work but I like the others.
I have one of those garden kneeler things that if you are kneeling it has great handles to get you up again - or the other way up it's sort of chair height. One of those advertising things showed a stool on wheels so you can wheel yourself round the garden as you work.
That's the very thing I was trying to describe earlier! Although mind didn't come with the posh tool holder! I broke mine yesterday - old age to the wooden seat but I am hoping neighbour will cut me a new piece of wood to fix it today! Although a new one doesn't look as though it would break the bank but I do get satisfaction out of mending things
I have a pair of tradie knee pads that make kneeling much more comfortable. They’re made of tough but flexible foam and stay in place with an adjustable elastic strap. Much more robust than the ones from the gardening centre.
My tip is having a robot mower😀 what a satisfaction it is to watch it busying itself whilst I sit back with a cuppa. Bonus is the lawn looks a lot better too.
I know it sounds obvious but please, please keep your wine/champagne corks and put them on the end of your garden canes. You wouldn’t believe the number of eye injuries we see from garden canes some too gory to mention. If you haven’t got enough then there’s an excuse to crack open another bottle 🍾 or two 🍾🍾!!
I will have to buy new corks...cheap enough. But after scratching my face on canes last year picking peas and Tommies it's a great idea. Like using toilet rolls middles as seed pots.
The skin on my arms is so thin due to pred that I've only got to look at something even slightly sharp and I bleed. I found some arm protectors at a discount store. these are great and, together with some gardening gloves do a good job of protecting my arms.
I was having a mental black out yesterday - I put up jinasc's gloves link but couldn't for the life of me remember the name of similar protection for legs (and arms)! Dermatuff!!
I have no idea, I haven't used it. But they say it is OK in summer - whose summer they don't say though. I think there is someone on the forum who HAS used it but they are unlikely to see your question. There are a couple of threads talking about it in the past. This is the link to the one from someone who has used it:
which is available from the online store everyone loves to hate it seems.
I received a canvas tote bag designed to carry garden tools as a Christmas gift. At the time, I was rather underwhelmed. But it’s a godsend. It’s light with two sturdy carry handles. Pockets on the outside hold trowel, fork, dibber, rake thing, secateurs, penknife, string, ties etc etc. In the centre I have a couple of oblong tins filled with packets of seeds I’m using. I can pick this up along with the folding stool and move around the garden in leisurely comfort without being backwards and forwards to the garage to fetch things I need.
I just want to say ....all of you are amazing. Look at the tips you come up with. Where I live there is no space for gardening, only hanging plants. Good for all of you!!💗💖
Prednisone really thinned my skin, but the sun damage for years of outdoor activity increased the damage. Last year, I bought sunsleeves from Amazon. I kept one to wear that would always be clean. And I bought one for the garden as I also use bug spray to keep off mosquitoes, gnats and ticks. It gets too hot to always wear a long sleeve jacket. I have always also used disposable gloves and garden gloves for my hands. I can't weed that well with bulky gloves. I bought boxes of disposable gloves from our warehouse store all the time. Now, they're not available. So, I reuse disposable. To keep dirt from under my fingernails, scrape your nails over a left over bar of soap. It will come off very easily with a nail brush. I also just bought finger-less gloves for driving. For thorny items I've gotten gauntlet gloves from Amazon. Our thinner skin and altered immunity make keeping our skin barrier intact of vital importance. For my knees I have so many pads that were sold as stadium seats at Five Below. They're softer than the ones they sell for gardening. I've also used cheap kickboards. Since I've had basal cell removed some years ago from my eyelid, I use 5 inch brim sunhats for gardening. There are several companies that have catalogs online in the US to order, but they're not cheap. Read reviews before you purchase.
I have now found the original thread so can put my piece here - perhaps someone would like to delete my other one?
Someone posted a great post and recommended arm protection the other day - I bought the arm protection but hadn't opened it yet! I managed to carve a chunk out of my arm on the gate latch while mowing. I used an adhesive dressing similar to those used on abscesses etc. All well really until I came to remove it - and decided for the quick pull. NOT a good idea I now have an ugly red mark the length of the dressing. So I advise gently peeling off any first aid plasters you have had to use!
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