Gardening safety.
It may not seem like a fun topic, but it can involve cute boots. Wink, wink.
I had a terrifying encounter with bumblebees in my own garden recently. Bumblebees are normally quite docile, but that changes when you crash into their nest while wearing shorts and flip flop sandals. Oh my.
The whole experience reminded me just how important the right gear and clothing can be.
Here are my favorite tools for a safer gardening experience:
- Good boots
My search for good gardening footwear has been a long one!
I began gardening at Maplehurst with a pair of tall Hunter rain boots I’d brought with me from our Florida lives. They protected my feet, and they looked cute, but they were HEAVY. I have nearly 5 acres here, and those boots did not make it easy to walk long distances with a wheelbarrow.
When the rain boots finally cracked, I discovered a lightweight pair of rain boots originally designed for Japanese fishermen. I chose them because I was traveling to Alaska and needed boots I could fold into a suitcase. I love those lightweight boots. They never dragged me down, but they also didn’t give a lot of protection.
When those boots finally cracked as well, I went searching for clogs. Tall boots aren’t easy to put on, and I thought slip-ons would be just the thing. I’ve worn a few different brands of gardening clogs, and liked these Sloggers most of all, but I honestly haven’t loved them. If they fit well enough to not fall off then they usually can’t be easily slipped on. I still had to take a seat before my feet could be properly wedged in. And the shoes themselves weren’t always comfortable. Perhaps I simply needed to choose a different size, but those experiences led me to a new choice:
Slip on boots!
The “Sauvie Slip On Boots” from Bogs have become my holy grail of gardening shoes. Easier to slip on than tall boots, they are super comfortable and very protective. They aren’t as heavy and hot as winter boots would be, and they feel so good on my feet, I actually look forward to wearing them.
Well worth the higher price.
- Gloves
I have a love/hate relationship with gardening gloves.
While I don’t like dirt under my nails and scratches on my hands, I also find it much harder to pull weeds and tie up twine while wearing gloves. The solution for me has been finding gloves that fit like a second skin. I buy nitrile gloves like these in packs of four or five. I love that I can throw them in the washing machine.
Pruning thorny roses is almost impossible without good protection. I keep these gloves in my garden shed for just this task. The long gauntlet sleeves mean I can really get in there and prune roses that would otherwise tear me to pieces, while the soft, leather fingers allow me to tie my rose canes up with twine.
- Cotton button-down shirts
Protecting my skin from the sun is an on-going battle. I have sensitive skin that really doesn’t like sunscreen, but I also garden through hot and sticky summers where extra clothing is unwelcome.
My solution has been to steal my husband’s old cotton button-down shirts. They are breathable and lightweight, but they cover my chest and arms well. I don’t even care if they’re stained or the elbows are torn.
- Tecnu skin cleanser
This is my secret weapon.
I put off buying it for too long because of the high price, but now I won’t begin a gardening season without a huge bottle of it in the house. I actually keep this in my shower at all times and this right by my kitchen sink. When you need it, you need it, and you won’t want to go looking for it.
For North American gardeners, especially here on the east coast, poison ivy is a menace. Because birds drop the seeds, it can pop up anywhere. Even right in the middle of a well-weeded flower bed.
These products are the only thing that works in my experience, especially if you are extra-allergic as I am. The two products are slightly different, and it’s important to read the instructions on the label. That large bottle might feel like overkill, but if you stumble into a patch of poison ivy or poison oak you will need to use a lot of product. I have found that Tecnu prevents rashes if used immediately, but I have also found that it clears up a rash that is starting to appear.
Miracle product, I tell you.
- A wide sunhat
I have sunhats in canvas and straw. My favorites are made of straw as that seems to be the most breathable on a hot day.
- Foam cushioned kneeler
I avoided buying one of these for far too long assuming they were for elderly gardening ladies only.
I could not have been more wrong. I used to weed in the most awkward positions, but with a cushioned kneeler, I can protect my knees and weed in a way that doesn’t throw out my back. Win, win!
You can also purchase cushioned knee pads. I have yet to try that, but I might pick up a pair of those next summer.