Arthritis and the Garden.

mouseymousey
mouseymousey Member Posts: 283
edited 21. Jan 2009, 15:52 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hello, I know its early in the year (but nothing like being prepared).One of the things I would like to reclaim is the garden. Last year I didn't manage it at all - and I used to love my garden. This year I am determind to start gardening again (albeit by sitting on my bum in the garden). So I wondered if you have any tips or any gadgets - homemade or otherwise that help you in your garden? I have already orderd my seed poatotoes!!
Thank you
ps - thanks to all who commented re the tin opener (its doing sterling work)!
M

Comments

  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    I've a gadget from the garden centre that is a kneeler with handles one way and if you turn it upside down it becomes a low seat. The only thing is you have to be able to get up from a very low position, but, I can manage it quite well and alternate between kneeling and sitting! Quite useful for me as it allows me to change positions :!: You can also get long handled trowels etc. Sue
  • mash65
    mash65 Bots Posts: 834
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    we have recycled a pine bed that was to be taken to the tip.
    weve made it into a raised veg.bed :lol: i love gardening but hoping this yr to be able to use the raised bed so i dont have to bend over too much.the flowers r all in pots no borders.all the borders r now filled with shrubs for colour.my dad grows potatos in an old dustbin,& carrots,garlic,radishes etc in any old pots i.e mop buckets,washing up bowls,he recycles anything he can use in the garden. good luck with gardening. debsx
  • redpoppy
    redpoppy Member Posts: 108
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hi,i too love working in my garden,the thing that gets my hands the most is the weeding.i do suffer a few days after ive done it.i find if i sit on my bottom on the grass its a better position than kneeling wich i can only manage for about 5 mins.i did get stuck once and had to crawl to the garden seat then heave my self up with the help of it.lol.i do have a big lightweight green bag i use to put weeds ect in,its got two handles on it and its easy to drag about as long as you dont overfill it.for planting out in pots i do mine on the patio table as its just the right height.i do wash it down when ive finished. :) i think you just find ways of adapting,im certainly not going to give up my gardening.hope we get some good weather this year.
  • colinone
    colinone Member Posts: 1,039
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hi guys oh how i miss looking after my garden i used to get so much joy out of it and i was so proud of it to. The wife has taken over so its just a distant memory now. But hey she does a great job should have given to her years ago LOL
    I have a big green house and used to grow all my own flowers now its just the spiders in there.
    Colin
  • redpoppy
    redpoppy Member Posts: 108
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hi colin,im sorry to hear you cant manage your garden anymore.but im sure you will get great pleasure sitting in it on a lovely summers day.i find it quite theraputic doing a bit of gardening if i dont over do it.its nice to see all the lovely flowers come out and the bees and the butterflys,oh god roll on summer :)
  • jackie1955
    jackie1955 Member Posts: 632
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I too love my garden, and used to spend hours on my hands and knees weeding! I'd then suffer with knee pain for days after, so I planted some quick spreading ground-cover plants. They are excellent - so now, instead of spending time actually weeding I spend time searching for the odd, elusive weed thats managed to grow somewhere :!:

    I also bought plants that, once planted, basically look after themselves :)
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,395
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I, too, used to do lots of gardening and would lose myself for hours, almost days at a time :shock: I only used to come in when I was hungry :wink:

    I'm now a brilliant supervisor and chief advisor instead and throw out my commands from the garden swing whilst sipping coffee and eating grapes :lol::lol::wink:

    Seriously I can manage the lawns, when hubby allows, (he prefers to do it in 'Wembly' stripes whereas I just cut it!) and I can dead-head the flowers and I also manage the window boxes. I grow outdoor tomatoes in a raised bed and OH grows his in the greenhouse so we have a competition each year to see who can grow the most - what an exciting life we lead :roll:

    Luv Legs :D
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • jennywren
    jennywren Bots Posts: 79
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I cannot do my garden anymore I will just get the man in my life to do it although he does not know that yet
  • redpoppy
    redpoppy Member Posts: 108
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    i grew some potatoes last year,i was so pleased with my self.ive grew tomatoes and strawberrys in the past too.theres nothing like picking a nice fresh juicy tomatoe,taste a lot better than shop ones.i think im going to have to get my bf involed in gardening this year,he can do the heavy stuff.lol.
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I suffer from Angry Husband Syndrome in the garden. HE says I pull up the things hes just planted; I say they looked like weeds to me and the cats must have eaten the plants. This syndrome is incurable :!: :lol: Suexxx
  • redpoppy
    redpoppy Member Posts: 108
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hi sue,maybe you better leave the gardening to you hubby,that way you cant get into trouble.lol. :D
  • mouseymousey
    mouseymousey Member Posts: 283
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks for the replies, I can't wait for it to warm up a bit so we can all get started. I do have trouble kneeling (I can't) so I think I'll end up doing most of this sitting down. I thought it doesn't matter if I manage 5 mins or 50 mins? Plan to grown most things in containers, to which end thinking of starting a compost bin. I'm going for things we can eat - I grew some salad type things a few years ago in grow bags - saved us a fortune. Can anyone recommend a book that may help? (I've orderd some at the library).