My “new take on garden tools” is this:
How do you garden if you have any (I mean ANY ) physical problems, aches and pains, are post-surgery, aging, have knees that don’t bend with quite the same ease, hips that creak, and any sort of arthritis.
That pretty much covers an entire range of issues, doesn’t it?
Well, maybe you are in one or more of those categories. I am! Having had hand surgery in early December I am almost back to normal, but not quite. And the knees creak a bit. And I am always aware of the elbow surgery of eleven years ago.
What are the options?
- Stop gardening
- Hire someone to do the gardening
- Investigate new tools that just might help
#1 is just not an option for me.
#2 no, not there…yet!
#3 Yes. I have done just that: I have scoured the internet and various companies for all sorts of
helpful garden tools that just might be useful to own and use.
Very first on my own personal list was a low stool of some kind. I’ve seen the various benches that show someone kneeling and working in a garden. Well, I don’t want to have to kneel! And those benches have a footprint of about 23″ long. Do you realize how difficult that would be to put IN a garden bed (as opposed to the pictures they show of it sitting on a brick pathway) and not have it crush everything around it? No, it just would not work.
Then I found this!
The height adjusts; the seat and base are about 12″ across; it moves with you; weighs in at under 3 lbs.From Vertex. There is also a padded seat model available.
Then there are the everyday garden tools. These handles are ergonomic and would be wonderful for my wrist which is still in “strength training.”
These are also lightweight, strong and will not rust. From Radius Garden.
And then there are garden pruners which can also be hard on the wrist. I looked at many but found these to be the most user-friendly and receive rave reviews:
These are for “weak hands”…well, maybe! Buy them here.
And what a about a shovel?
This handle slides onto a shovel, or rake, or even vacuum. Attach about half way down to make lifting easier. I haven’t tried it, but could be useful.
For more ideas take a look at my Pinterest Board: Garden Tools.
I will be adding more ideas as I find them, so check back!
Libby:
So appreciate the suggestions for helpful, gardening assists! I’m scheduled for hand surgery next week (four surgeries but the biggie is the CMC arthroplasty). Six weeks in a splint and 3+ month rehab/recovery. Not sure how much gardening I will do but have some friends who have offered to help me plant my containers. I’m trying to accomplish some tasks before next week; spreading manure, raking out a few beds, etc. The thumb protests but….
Betsy: It’s the CMC I had in early December. Well, I was only in cast (2 of them) for a total of less than 4 weeks. And really, by 6 weeks out I was back to most things, wearing a custom removable splint. Gardening was, I have to admit, slow to come back. But now I am absolutely fine and yet I think these tools are just a good thing to use for anyone ‘of a certain age!’ Good luck!!
Thanks for the reviews, Libby! My right knee is a mess but I’m putting off a knee replacement for another year so I need to look into products like these. I bend too much from the waist to avoid bending my knee – and that just causes a host of other medical complaints!
I remember when I fractured by wrist, which is a lot less of hassle than a leg injury. But because it was on my dominant hand, gardening became a lot harder. Thank goodness for my kids why because my “henchmen” during those few weeks.