Dear Savvy Senior,
What gardening tips can you offer to older seniors? I love to putter around and work in the garden, but my back and knees have caused me to curtail my gardening activities, which I miss greatly.
Older Gardner
Dear Older,
There’s no doubt that gardening can be hard on an aging body. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up your hobby. Here are some tips that may help you.
Limber Up
To help protect your body, you need to warm up before beginning. Start by stretching, focusing on the legs and lower back. And keep changing positions and activities. After 15 minutes of weeding, you should stand up, stretch, and switch to another activity like pruning the bushes or just take a break.
And, when lifting heavier objects, remember to use your legs to preserve your back.
Get Better Tools
Kneeling pads can protect knees, and garden seats or stools are both back and knee savers. Lightweight garden carts can make hauling bags of mulch, dirt, plants or other heavy objects much easier. And long-handled gardening and weeding tools can help ease the strain on the back by keeping you in a standing upright position versus bent over.
There are also ergonomic gardening and pruning tools with fatter handles and other design features that can make lawn and garden activities a little easier.
Make Watering Easier
Some helpful options include lightweight fabric or expandable hoses instead of heavy rubber hoses; soaker or drip hoses that can be snaked throughout the garden; thin coil hoses that can be used on the patio or small areas; a hose caddy and reel for easier hose transport around the yard; and a self-winding hose chest that puts the hose up automatically.
Bring the Garden to You
Consider elevated garden beds or container gardening – using big pots, window boxes, hanging baskets, barrels or tub planters.
