Rachel Baer, 56, loves working in her large back yard in East Lyme, Connecticut, but over time the big jobs have become more physically demanding. Last year she decided to create a garden with plants to attract bees and butterflies. “I got a huge amount of earth delivered,” she says, but the spreading in the garden, which she used to do in one day, had to be spread over several days. “It was one wheelbarrow after the other,” says Baer, who teaches yoga for seniors. “I had to accept that I couldn’t do it with the same speed and speed as in the past.”
Gardening can be more difficult for aging bodies. The joints stiffen, kneeling for long periods of time hurts, and bending and grasping can put strain on the muscles. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up this hobby. You may just need to garden differently, add special tools, and know your limits.
Before you start gardening, stretch
As with any exercise, stretching before and after gardening helps prevent muscle tensionsays Jen Stark, founder of the Happy DIY Home blog. She suggests that you take frequent breaks and “switch between pruning and chopping to exercise different muscle groups.” And always have a cell phone with you in the event of a fall.
Also, “put on lots of sunscreen and drink water like it’s your job,” says Baer. “It helps you stay hydrated, but it also means you get more up and down to go to the bathroom” and ensures that you don’t get stiff in one position.
A garden stool can be useful for sitting. Some stools also serve as knee benches when turned upside down. like the TomCare Garden knee seat. On average, knee seats cost between $ 30 and $ 70. Look for one that has pockets for your garden tools.
You can also put together your own method which can be much cheaper and better tailored to your needs. Duane Pancoast, 82, of Victor, NY, bought portable knee pads and put all of his tools in a five-gallon bucket. When he got tired of kneeling, “I could tip the bucket back and sit on it,” he says. “When I was done, I put the weeds and tools in the bucket and carried it back to the garage.”
Also, get support for the jobs that are uncomfortable for you. “Last year I was almost at the top of a ladder trying to trim a bush and heard sirens in the distance,” says Baer. “It made me stop and think that this is not wise. I had the vision of being transported away in an ambulance. I came down from the ladder and agreed to pay someone to trim this bush. “
Get gardening tools for people with arthritis
Some gardening tools can make life easier for people suffering from arthritis or who have lost the strength in their hands. For example, Some tools have soft handles that are easier to hold or are specifically designed to cut with less force.
For planting, look for long-handled tools that are better for sedentary gardeners, or tools with ergonomic handles. The Arthritis Foundation recommends a number of options, including the Peta Easi-Grip Long Reach Garden Tools, which are available as a set of four. Stark suggests the five-part Radius GardeN Ergonomic Hand Tool Set with curved handles. “Ergonomic secateurs are easy on your hands and make cutting easier,” says Stark. “Hold your hand so your wrist is in a neutral or straight position for the greatest grip strength. This position also reduces the risk of developing tendinitis. “
Many experts, including the Arthritis Foundation, recommend Fiskars pruning and grinding tools, including the PowerGear2 Softgrip Scissors, which have a unique design that makes cutting a lot easier, or check out Felco’s F2 Classic Manual Hand Pruner. Fiskars also makes a stand-up weed puller that doesn’t require kneeling or bending.
Or, like Mark Samuelson, 59, of Taylor, Texas, did design your own tool. He has a bad back from years of farming and wanted to water the garden better without bending over a hose. So he stuck a thin rebar in the ground and curled the top to keep the hose in place.
His son, Seth Samuelson, a civil engineer, refined the device with him, and then family and friends began to use it. “My grandma was 85 when I first gave her one, and she used it until her 90s,” says the younger Samuelson. The family patented the SeCa hose holder, named after Seth and his brother Cade, and the device is available in garden centers nationwide.
When you need to move soil, mulch, or garden waste, a wheelbarrow is helpful, but it can also be unwieldy enough to tip over. A better alternative might be a garden cart, which costs anywhere from $ 60 to $ 100. Some even fold up for storage.
Although all of these items are sold online, Pancoast recommends purchasing ergonomic tools in person whenever possible to ensure they are comfortable to use. Pancoast started a blog, The Geriatric Gardener, and self-published a book of the same name.
Make use of raised flower beds
Your garden will be easier to maintain if you bring it closer with raised flower beds and containers that don’t require you to stoop as muchsays Melanie Evans, master gardener at Factory Direct Hose, which makes hoses, reels and other accessories. Although waist-high beds are ideal, “even a slightly raised bed can make weeding easier”. However, she notes that raised beds dry out much faster than those in the ground, so they need a little more water.
Vertical gardens on walls or trellises are another option. They can be an elaborate structure built specifically for your yard or as simple as hanging pots on a trellis that sells for less than $ 20.
Consider planting more perennials that bloom year after year than annualsthat are replanted every spring. Some easy-care plants, experts recommend, are lavender, sedum, hydrangeas, and geraniums (which can be perennial or annual, depending on the species).
It’s tempting to spray a pesticide on a plant that appears sick or has problems, but it’s not healthy, says Molly Keck, an entomologist at Texas A&M AgriLife Advisory Service. Organic or natural pesticides can also be harmful. If you feel like you need to spray, make sure you know which pest is causing the problem so that you can attack that very one.
The best way to keep pests out is to keep weeds out, Keck says. “They’re home to a lot of insects, and if you don’t have weeds, that life cycle is broken.” So, pluck the weeds as soon as you see them and don’t let them bloom as it will drop seeds. Since weeding can be a chore, Keck suggests planting flowers in containers where the weeds are easier to control. Finally, learn to tolerate a little imperfection. You don’t want a dying or stunted plant, but if it’s blooming and looking good, “it’s probably healthy enough,” says Keck.
If you are thinking of redesigning your garden, plan for the future, says Pancoast. Lay in wide, smooth walkways and replace the steps with gentle inclines. Add some benches. In the end, find a way to continue gardening, even if it’s slower and with more help than before. The psychological benefits of being outdoors in nature are well known, as are the physical benefits of exercise. “It’s amazing how many squats and how much core work you do while gardening,” says Baer.
She notes that her 80-year-old father, who lives in England, “still walks outside with his chainsaw” to cut branches, but no longer uses it on ladders. “It’s gardening that gives him much-needed outdoor therapy, especially during COVID.”
