Avoiding The Aches And Pains Of The Novice Gardener

Got a garden that you’re itching to beautify but find that you’re not exactly the most green-thumbed of people? There’s nothing wrong with being an inexperienced gardener, you have plenty of time to learn. However, gardening can actually be pretty intensive work and can even result in an injury or some long-term aches if you’re not careful. Here, we’re going to look at how to stay healthy and safe as you get out there and wrestle your overgrown yard into submission.

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Gear up right
There’s some safety gear you should invest in if you’re planning to get out there in the garden. A good strong pair of gardening gloves are essential, as you can read about here. Not only do they protect your hands from thorny plants, but you can make sure you don’t accidentally cut your hand with gardening sheers and other tools. Gardening goggles can keep your eyes safe from any debris that might fly up while you’re pruning, too.

Mind your knees
If you have flower beds to take care of, then gardening can involve a lot more time spent on your knees. To that end, use knees pads to protect your knees while you’re down there. You should consider your posture, too, however. If you find your joints are starting to ache, consider elevating your garden with raised planters or with vertical gardening pots so that you spend less time down there in the first place.

Use the right tools
The less time you spend holding heavy tools in the garden, the better it’s going to be for your back. When taking care of the garden, it’s recommended you aim for flexible and lightweight tools, like a good weed trimmer. You can read more here about how these tools save you a lot of time and effort. This helps you preserve your back health a little more easily.

Mind what you carry
If you have to carry anything through the garden, like sacks of compost or grass seed, then make sure you’re doing it with the tips found here. Good lifting posture is essential to make sure you don’t end up throwing out your back. However, it may simply be a lot more convenient to invest in a wheelbarrow. Put your body as less risk by having a tool that can do the heavy lifting for you.

Take stretch breaks
You should take ten minutes before you start gardening to walk around, stretch your arms, legs, and back to try and limber up for the task ahead. Take stretch breaks to give your knees and back break every half an hour or more if you need to, as well. Try to always be mindful of your posture. If you feel a pressure or heat building up in a specific part of your body, it means you’re probably putting too much pressure on it and should adjust.

Your health should always come first, so take the time to make sure you’re following the tips above, equipped with all the right stuff, and doing things as safely as possible.