One is never too old to enjoy the great outdoors by tending to the garden or mowing the lawn. Your golden years aren’t the time to delegate tasks to others or relinquish landscaping. Plenty of tools exist to make gardening and landscaping a breeze. With the appropriate ergonomic tools and judicious decision-making, you can safely continue your outdoor housekeeping for years to come.
Lawn Care
It may be tempting to give the kid next door a few bucks to mow your lawn, but why not do it yourself? You’ll continue to gain strength and endurance as well as a sense of satisfaction after a freshly mowed lawn. Seniors should consider a mower that’s easy to operate and one that poses little risk. For example, seniors can comfortably sit down on zero-turn mowers and cut the lawn at a swift pace. They can turn on a dime by rotating 180 degrees around its own axis and are adept at swerving around lawn obstacles. Another shrewd choice is the push reel mower, powered by nothing but your own body. These are the simplest mowers one can buy. Speaking of buying, they’re also the least expensive. It’s true that they may take the most effort, but reel mowers require the least maintenance, and they’re the safest by far.
Low-Maintenance Grass
Your lawn needn’t be full of attention-starved grass that requires consistent and frequent work. TreeHugger.com suggests a number of grass types that need little maintenance and water. Zoysia grass, Bermuda grass, St. Augustine grass, buffalo grass and fescue are convenient choices that will grow on despite neglect.
Ergonomic Gardening
Ergonomics is the science of maximizing the efficiency of equipment by reducing discomfort and fatigue for the user. When it comes to seniors and gardening, ergonomic tools are a godsend.
Self-Watering Container – The EarthBox, or a similar self-made self-watering container, provides an incredibly simple solution to growing plants. As its name suggests, this container waters automatically by way of a water reservoir. The EarthBox’s fertilizer strips gives plants the exact nutrients they need without any work on your part.
Radius Shovel – TreeHugger.com suggests the Radius shovel for gardening use. This ergonomic shovel is built with a lightweight fiberglass handle suitable for arthritic gardeners. A sharp and heavy blade easily cuts into the most compacted of soil.
Landscaper’s Wagon – Wheels make everything easier. Plop your heavy pots, plants and gardening materials in the wagon to easily cart off to your garden. Its pneumatic tires traverse the harshest terrain. Plus, the wagon’s sides fold down and form a flatbed.
Garden Kneeler – The garden kneeler cushions your knees during your gardening. The two side handles enable you to raise and lower yourself without back strain. When flipping the eight pound garden kneeler over, it takes on a second function as a comfortable bench.