Senior Moments - The Campbellford Seniors Club Newsletter Issue #22: April - June 2017 | Page 9

information & news
Tips & Techniques for the Senior Gardener
Gardening is a favorite leisure
outdoor activity for many seniors,
and enjoyed by more than 78
million people, according to the
National Gardening Association.
For most of us, gardening provides
a welcome sojourn in the natural
world, a sanctuary that promises
relief from the challenges of life.
Yet many feel the need to give it
up as they become less physically
able.
• Build and design raised beds
that provide a place to sit and
garden.
• Try using a stool, chair, or bench
to avoid constant stooping or
squatting.
• Use the right length tools. Long
handled or curved handled
tools provide better grips and
more leverage.
Gardening can enrich the life of
the senior gardener in many ways -
physically, mentally, and spiritually.
The following tips for modifying
tools and gardening techniques
can make all the difference for the
senior gardener. • For safety sake, garden early
in the morning or late in the
day. Avoid being out between
10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Drink
plenty of decaffeinated fluids
to prevent dehydration. Also,
allow time for breaks in the
shade.
• Paint your garden tools with a
bright color. This will enable
the senior gardener to easily
locate tools. • Wear lightweight clothing, long
sleeved shirt, eye protection,
sunscreen, a big hat to shade
face, and gardening gloves.
• Purchase seed and seed
tape for easier handling and
planting. Balcony Gardening
• Grow plants that heighten the
sense of touch or smell.
• Use a vertical garden or trellis.
This allows the senior gardener
to plant and weed without
stooping or bending.
Not having a yard certainly doesn’t
preclude anyone from having a
garden. Balcony gardens can be
intimate, manageable, useful, and
absolutely stunning. Take a look at
these tips for creating an outdoor,
verdant space you’ll love.
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