The sun is shining and the sky is blue, you have a little time on your hands and your partner is reminding you to take a look at the garden. On closer observation you realise that you have a very healthy crop of dandelions with couch grass and brambles also starting to reveal themselves above the soil.
Time to search round the shed for the garden tools and get digging! Before you do, have a good think about the number of back injuries caused and previous back injuries aggravated by a session of weeding. Gardening and the garden need to be treated as a ‘Green Gym’ and nobody would suggest that you spend a two hour session in the gym without a warm up and a cool down. Spend just 15 or 20 minutes on each activity so you don’t strain any particular part of your body. Warm up first and stretch after, then treat yourself to a relaxing bath to help ease the aches and pains.
Using the correct tools for the correct gardening job is always a good idea to prevent injuries, the correct tools also help to make the tasks easier and therefore leave you with more time to sit back in the garden chair and admire your efforts. Check your garden spades and forks over before you start, examine the handles for splinters and splits which may injure your hands and always remember that a good pair of gardening gloves is essential for the prevention of blisters. A good quality range of lightweight garden tools are now available on the market which make gardening easier in compact areas and are ideal for use by ladies, long handled garden tools limit the need for bending and twisting, therefore easing the strain on your back muscles and also easing the pressure on the knees.
Certain weeds can be particularly hard to remove from the soil. Weeds such as dandelions need to be lifted complete with all of their root system and this can prove difficult if they have become well established. The use of a preparatory weed killer can help to ease the task. Using weed killers can be relatively easy but always remember to read the instructions for use carefully. There are different preparations on the market to deal with different weeds, from the common dandelion through to couch grass and even for help in removing tree stumps.
Systemic weed killers will kill the weeds and their roots and are ideal for clearing these unwanted visitors. One point to consider when using weed killers is their effect on children and pets, never apply with children or pets nearby, always use a weed killer which allows children and pets to access the treated areas once the preparation has dried and always store unused weed killer safely out of harm’s way and with clear labeling.
Drives and gravel paths can be cleared of weeds using a specialist path weed killer. These can be safely used around your ornamental trees and shrubs and have the added bonus of a long lasting formula which prevents new weeds growing back for at least 4 months. The use of these weed killers will ease the strain on your back and if you order from an online garden centre then you won’t even have to carry them home; delivery will be direct to your door, which will definitely help when it comes to ordering your new garden tools too!
Above all enjoy the gardening experience and stay safe.
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With over 15 years experience in the gardening sector, Tim has consulted on TV shows such as BBC Gardener’s World, the BBC daytime show Gardening Neighbours and numerous local radio stations such as BBC West Midlands and Smooth Radio. With extensive gardening and product knowledge, Tim has had an input into the ranges for the UK’s largest gardening retailers and helped devise and review new products for some of largest gardening suppliers around. 