My bad; I had a Garden Chat submission queued up, only to discover that my ‘permission’ to view the photos from the new-to-me file sharing system had ‘expired’. So here’s an abject apology to JeffG166 — I hope I’ll be able to share his pics *next* week — and some random links I’ve been hoarding…
Gardening can be a physical challenge. These tips make it accessible. “Gardening can be extremely accessible if it is set up correctly” https://t.co/hydP74ImBT
— JasonsConnection (@JasonConnection) September 30, 2023
I may have shared this one already, but I suspect it will be broadly useful — “Gardening can be a physical challenge. These tips make it accessible”:[gift link]:
… [G]ardening can be made more accessible to those with physical challenges like arthritic knees, chronic pain or severe fatigue, said Jay Schulz, a disability and health researcher at the University of Vermont…
The Washington Post spoke to gardeners with disabilities and other experts for their best advice on making gardening more accessible. Here’s what they had to say.
– Limit kneeling and bending with raised beds or containers
For gardeners who use a wheelchair, a bed can be raised high enough that the wheelchair can be rolled directly up to the garden, she said. A U-shaped raised bed can be particularly useful, she said, because someone can sit in the middle and reach all 3 sides from the same location.Instead of gardening on the ground, try container gardening, which involves growing plants in pots or bins. Put the container at a height that is easy to reach, and make sure you can move the container easily, said Phyllis Turner, 77, a Virginia Cooperative Extension master gardener with arthritis who teaches seminars on adaptive gardening…
– Use a garden stool or rolling gardening chair…
[The price range & utility of such aids keeps improving. But even a makeshift can improve your ability to keep gardening; I drag a cheap plastic patio chair around our mostly-hardscaped / raised bed yard, which looks tacky but works for me]– Get extendible or long handle tools…
– Find ergonomic tools with easy grips…
– Reduce strain on joints with orthopedic aids
Hill wears prescription knee braces and notes that wearing orthopedic aids provide stability and reduces joint strain while gardening.“Wear braces even when you don’t think you need them,” Hill said. “I’ll often put them on as a reminder to not squat so low because it’s painful. When I’m in the groove, I’m not thinking about the ramifications of what I’m doing.”…
– Utilize free public resources…
If you’ve been struggling, or have an older loved one who is, well worth reading the whole thing.
Most of the world's #crop varieties are preserved by small holders who plant, harvest and carefully save their #seeds.
In #Peru, a group of #Indigenous communities is protecting the more than 1,300 potatoes varieties of the country.https://t.co/u6EGq2NdYJ
— A Growing Culture (@agcconnect) October 13, 2023
