Gardening Doesn't Have to Hurt

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I enjoy gardening so much, there have been times when I have started my day in peak shape, only to crawl into the house from pain and fatigue 12 hours later. Would I do it again? You bet, and I have on numerous occasions. Sure, I attack my hobby with all the vigor I can muster. By the time the weekend rolls around I always have so much to do and so little time. Yet, in spite of my overzealous approach to the weekend warrior duties, the fact remains, I overdo it!

Now, truth be told, I don't always take the time to use the right tool to make the job at hand easier and pain-free. So, I'm as much to blame for my aches and pains at the end of the day as anything else I can think of. Especially these days where there are so many great tools and methods to make gardening accessible and easy for just about anyone.

No matter what your age or physical condition, we could all benefit from making some smart choices when it comes to gardening.

Gloves

Above all, gloves offer protection that no gardener should be without. Yet, who wants to wear an uncomfortable or clunky pair? All too often, we make the choice to do without for the sake of comfort but at the cost of painful blisters or worse. Today there is a style of glove for every job, from the highly tactile, super comfortable and lightweight Atlas gloves, to the fashionable yet rugged and comfortable West County Gardener gloves that even offer a line made from recycled water bottles. And yes, they come in 'green'.

Outerwear

Now that your hands are covered, what about those knees? I've discovered one of my all time favorite things to have on when I'm getting down and dirty: Green Jeans. These 'garden chaps' are very much like what you'd see on a cowboy. But these aren't heavy leather. They're made of a washable, wind resistant, water repellant rip-stop nylon that's lightweight and comfortable to wear. But wait! Here's the best part; these chaps not only protect your pants from dirt and grime; they have kneepads sewn right into them. That's right folks -- no more dealing with uncomfortable pads held in place with tight elastic that collects sweat and dirt and then slide down your leg. The Green Jeans' pads stay in place because they're part of the chap that's supported from your waist. And they're a snap to get on and off ... literally!

Tools

I'd always heard, having the right tool for the job makes all the difference in the world. Over the years, I've been reminded of just how true this is. Here are some of my favorites for the yard and garden. They all happen to be made by Fiskars. But that's not surprising. I'm a big fan of their products and you're about to see why. I only wish these had been around as long as I've been gardening!

PowerGear Pruners: To start, these babies have three times the cutting power compared to standard pruning tools. They look good and feel great, too. The patented design provides maximum leverage near the middle of the cut, right when you need it the most! The added feature I love about this pruner is the rotating handle. As you make a cut, the handle rolls with your fingers, reducing fatigue and stress. These pruners, along with the other power gear tools in the Fiskars lineup are the only tools in their class to receive the "Ease-of-Use" Commendation by the Arthritis Foundation. Now that's saying a lot!

Telescoping Power-Lever Bypass Lopper: Speaking of pruning, I hate to drag out the ladder for those low-lying branches that I just can't reach. I've discovered a great solution, these telescoping loppers can reach over 37 inches with a simple extension of the handles. In addition, they have the added benefit of Power-Lever mechanism that increases leverage to make cutting easier.

Telescoping Pruning Stick Tree Pruner: I'll tell you what would hurt; falling off a ladder while trying to prune those low hanging limbs. Actually, falling off a ladder at all would hurt. But, thanks to this stick pruner, the ropeless cutting action eliminates the tangled lines I always seem to get caught up in. The Pruning Stick extends to 12 feet and includes a 15-inch saw blade for tackling those larger limbs. The added bonus for this tool is that it works just as well when cutting or pruning shrub growth at ground level or when reaching into tight spaces. And did I mention the rotating head for getting just the right cutting angle? This is one versatile cutting tool, which allows anyone to get a lot of work done while safely on the ground, and without bending over.

UpRoot Weed & Root Remover: Speaking of bending over, I try to do less and less of that every year. Which is part of the reason I think most of us loathe the dreaded but necessary task of weeding. Yet once again, Fiskars has come to the rescue with their UpRoot and Extended Reach Weeders. Both are designed to grab, hold and easily extract even the toughest tap-rooted weeds like dandelions, all while standing in an upright position.

So you see, gardening really doesn't have to hurt anymore. With the proper protection on your hands and knees and tools to protect your extremities and back, what's left? Well, I guess someone needs to come up with a stylish hard hart for when you cut through those overhead limbs faster than you realized!