Gardening Southern-Style Senior Style

Gardening in the South changes when one ages. I am now seventy-five years old. Two hip replacements and two knee replacements (one winding up with a drop foot that is now doing well), and peripheral neuropathy have changed my gardening process.  I want to share with you some garden aids. 

1. Okay, this looks like your regular walker for some old person. Close your eyes. Now open them again with a fresh perspective. This item can also be used as a place to sit to pull weeds, or cool off and look at all you have accomplished, or plan what next to do. It is also a wonderful way to push items from one place in the yard to another. 

Lift the seat and you have a fantastic place to store tools you will need throughout the yard. 

I emptied mine and this is what I found.

Rose Gloves, insect spray, the metal identification labels I have been looking for, insect spray

Clippers, and pruners

Coffee filters to put in the bottom of a pot to replace stones or broken pottery

My hori-hori (the knife in the leather sheath), metal identification labels, with pen and more clippers

2.  This is a reusable pop up garden bag. It is lightweight and a tremendous assist in keeping things neat when pulling weeds, pruning, deadheading...Lying beside it is my new hula hoe with a long handle to help me reach what I need to reach to get at those pesky weeds.

3. This is an augur to attach to your drill. (Ladies, get your husband to instruct you on the use of the drill before he passes away. This is a necessary skill.) I use this to plant the many bulbs I plant...daffodils, hyacinths, etc. 

4. Another gadget I have found quite helpful in the garden is the grabber that was in my care package after my first hip replacement. When I dig the hole with the augur I grab the bulb right side up and drop it in the hole. I can do this sitting down!

5.  The popup garden bag is lightweight and perfect for holding weeds you've pulled, roses you have deadheaded or pruned, and other trash you must pick up as you go about the yard. 

6. Perhaps you might want to do as  I did and have your yard redesigned to include pavers and paths to make your garden more accessible for that walker I first mentioned. We also added a lot of mushroom compost.