Gardening, lawn care, and landscaping are fulfilling yet tiring hobbies, that require tons of hours spent outside slouching as you remove weeds, mow the lawn, and rake fallen leaves. Although you’ll get dirty in the process, the end result is extremely rewarding. Many people take pride in having a beautiful garden, but as you get older, the things you used to do in your garden become more difficult and can lead to pain and discomfort, especially for those who have joint or knee problems. But, this doesn’t mean you have to give up the thing you once loved, seniors just have to find ways to adapt and work with their bodies to still enjoy gardening. Here are some budget-friendly, low maintenance lawn care and yard maintenance tips for seniors.
Flower Choices
When choosing flowers, try and get ones that are easy to maintain. Flowers are what make gardens gorgeous, and many people are really picky when it comes to picking flowers. Having more flowers in your garden will mean you’ll have to spend more time caring for them. But, if you choose perennial flowers like Peruvian Lilies, Myosotis Sylvatica, Echinacea, Eryngium Amethystinum, and Lavendar, they’ll grow back every year and they don’t need replanting.
Raise Your Beds
One of the reasons gardening becomes harder for seniors is that they’re constantly bending over and kneeling. Not only is it hard on their bodies, but it makes them more vulnerable to having significant falls. Raised beds can help solve that problem, and they’ll also lead to better soil drainage and quality and they take up less space.
Reduce Your Lawn
Cutting grass is not only time-consuming, but it’s hard on your back. To avoid having to mow your lawn every week, you can always use artificial grass which is made to look and feel like the real thing. It will save you time, energy, and money, plus, you don’t even have to water it! You just need to occasionally clean it. If you still want grass, you can reduce the amount of it by concentrating on perennials, herbs, and vegetables. You can also lay gravel or pretty stones to serve as a backdrop for a container garden or plant a tree or install a low-maintenance water feature.
Consider Vertical Gardening
Plants that grow on poles and trellises are much easier to look after. Cucumbers, beans, squash, and tomatoes are good vertical garden plants. Vertical plants also decrease the amount of walking for older adults who may have mobility issues.
Use Newer Tools
Investing in newer lawn and gardening tools is well worth the money, especially for seniors. Old rakes and shovels are heavy and hard to use for many people. Due to this, many companies have designed gardening tools that are lighter and easier to use.
Learn Proper Form
For weeding, many gardeners use a kneeler stool, but if you don’t like them, make sure when you are kneeling, you aren’t putting strain on your joints and only put one knee on the ground. If you’re squatting, make sure you keep both heels on the ground. For pruning, if you don’t use proper form, you can get tendonitis in your wrists so make sure you get ergonomic pruners with comfortable handles and that you keep your wrist straight and not bent in either direction. In regards to tools, make sure you use don’t use tools with handles that are too short as you’ll be stopping over and straining your back.
Ask For Help
Maintaining your lawn is a lot of work and some jobs should be left to younger people or professionals. Don’t be afraid to ask your family, neighbors, friends, or local gardeners for help when you need it. Local gardeners can to the maintenance and hard work for seniors, and seniors can do easier tasks like cutting leaves or trimming edges. You can also check out universities for agricultural or farming students who may be willing to help out for course credit or Boy or Girl Scouts who want to volunteer.
Try a Lawn Care Service
You can find cheap lawn services, that won’t break the bank. If you choose to hire a lawn care service, you won’t have to worry about doing it yourself and you’ll be placing your trust in the experts. Not only will you not have to worry about getting injured, but lawn care services can also deal with complicated issues like weeding and insect or animal infestations ruining your garden. They have all the right tools for the job and you may end up saving money, with lawn services only costing around $30 per visit. For just a lawnmower you’d be spending between $500 to $1,000. To find a lawn care company near you, shop around and compare at least three to four options before deciding on one.
Take Proper Precautions
Whenever you’re outside mowing your lawn or gardening, make sure you have your cell phone in case of emergencies. Also, try to be outside before 10 AM or after 4 PM as the sun isn’t as strong during these times of the day. When you do go outside, wear sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and a long-sleeve shirt, and pants. Longer clothes will protect you from the sun and ticks. Most importantly, before you start taking care of your lawn, consult with your doctor if you’ve had any changes in your health recently, to prevent injuries from occurring.
