Gardening tips!!

speedalong · 6. Apr 2010, 20:47

Hi,

I have always loved pottering in the garden and looking after it. I used to always get down on my knees to get stuck in. As it got harder and harder to get up again, I used to make sure I had a garden chair alongside to use to pull myself up and then I went on to buy a kneeler with sides that I could grip to push up. Then last autumn putting the garden to bed and doing a bit of planting for spring, I tried bending over instead of kneeling - big mistake, really paid for that experiment!!

Now the garden needs a bit of weeding, so today I had a go with a long armed weeding tool I had bought ages ago and never really had the patience to use and my pick up stick (handy grab stick thingy) to gather them up. It took me much longer and had to stop when standing became too painful, but the bit I've done looks much better and I felt some satisfaction.

Raised beds aren't an option for the foreseeable future .. so what other tips work for you (to tide me over until hip op is done and recovered from.) I'm going to be paying my friend's son to mow the grass as that is really out of the question for now - but would like to carry on tending the borders and pots.

Speedalong

ritwren · 7. Apr 2010, 02:49

Hi Speedalong, I wish I could help as gardening is my refuge in this big old world. Could you try taking a lowish chair with you and bending forward from it as you move along the borders? Last year when I broke my leg I sat on the grass itself and shuffeled along to do my borders. Only reallyt works if it's dry 'tho. :roll: Adding a good thick mulch of bark chippings will really help to keep down the weeds and cut your work right down too. I tend to plant quite closely together so the weeds really have to struggle to grow in between. Best of luck for your op and happy gardening.
rita

dorcas · 7. Apr 2010, 02:58

Hi speedalong,

I love gardening too but have such difficulty now with my hands and knees etc. It takes a good deal of planning and spreading out the tasks over days to be able to get my garden ready for spring. It is very frustrating not being able to get down to weed or plant but like you I want to continue pottering about as it is so satisfying to see the garden looking good! but I have had to face up to the fact that it's just not possible to do too much at any one time without suffering for it later.....so for me 'pacing' seems to be the key.

I have changed the bedding plants in the garden to perennial rather that annual so that I don't have to be planting out too much. I do have annuals in pots so I can have a rotation of flowers over the seasons....and have a trolley for moving them about.
I also have removed the vegetable plot and turned that into a shrubbery....again low maintenance! My sis cuts the grass for me...bless her!

I searched the net and found this gardening site really helpful and there are lots of long handled tools and quirky gadgets available that do help .....so we can keep on doing what we love.

http://www.carryongardening.org.uk/top-tips-for-disabled-gardeners

good luck speedalong! Iris x

airwave · 7. Apr 2010, 05:25

Hi,
I use many mechanical tools, mostly electrical. Everything cut with lots of wood in it goes into the shredder which can stay as a pile for a while and is then spread over the beds to keep weeds down and give some nutrients back to the earth.

I have an electrical mower rather than the petrol motor type but they don't do the job so well and take longer so I will change back and put up with the extra weight.

We have just started using some growing sacks for our potatoes (placed near the water supply) and some veg, to save effort although we will still use some of our veg plots down the end of the garden.

I have been using weedkiller but added a blowtorch wand to burn the weeds which works well on the smaller ones but then I'm using gas cans at a few squid each.

In general, giving the garden a dam good ignoring seems to work until I feel like tackling it! Beer consumption on the balcony at the end of the day tends to slow things down...........must remember to rest after exercise!!!

8) Its a grin, honest!

tanith · 7. Apr 2010, 06:45

The only way I can enjoy myself in the garden now (apart from in a chair with a book lol) is little and often... I get out what I'll need to use do 10 mins the sit and read for 20 then another 10mins then another rest and a cuppa, If I keep on going past 10/15 mins I then am exhausted and have to stop but doing it in short bursts and then resting for a while means I can keep going for an hour or two... I always split big jobs up into short sections too that way I eventually get things done and don't knock myself out in the process...

speedalong · 7. Apr 2010, 13:15

Thanks for tips. I think you are all right, little and often is the way forward ... I tend to be a blitz it girl ... and that is not possible just now.

The low chair would work for doing my pots and tubs, but not for the borders.

I also think I will put more effort into the pots/tubs this year and do them differently, make them a project. I love projects!!

Will take a peak at the tools too, a long handled hoe type thingy would be useful and a longer handled pick up stick ...

Speedalong

Each time I go out to supervise S on his trampoline, I admire the short stretch I did yesterday ... so defin worth it.

Gardening tips!!

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