SENIOR SNIPPETS By Christina Uppenkamp Home Instead Senior Care
Welcome to the latest edition of Senior Snippets: the monthly advisory column with the older members of our community in mind. Gardening can be a great activity. It’s satisfying, productive and a very good way to stay active and get some fresh air. Age can make some tasks harder, but here are some top tips on how to make gardening a safe and fun activity no matter what your age. Build raised beds- they make gardening easier if you struggle to stretch or bend down to the plants. They are much easier to weed and maintain as you can perch on the side and use a trowel to plant and weed.
This ultimately makes gardening less strenuous overall. Onions and shallots are very low maintenance. Other easy to grow crops are spring onions, broad beans and carrots. If Try container gardening- This is your soil is poor try growing hardy essentially planting into a pot or crops such as rosemary, sage or a container of your choice. This thyme. is beneficial, as you can place the garden virtually anywhere, so that Path surfaces- Look at the surface of it’s easily accessible. Remember to paths to check they don’t get slippery use light weight containers for extra at any time of the year. Wood can also get slippery so keep an eye on easy handling. decking, and algae and moss are Pick your plants carefully- dangers too. Choosing plants that are easy to maintain and able to withstand a Use the right equipment- Long-hanvariety of conditions is essential dled tools such as forks and spades for an easy gardening experience. will mean less digging, and use tools
that are lightweight to prevent arm, shoulder and back injuries. You can also use a stool or chair to save your legs from having to squat or sit down. Work with your limits and enjoyOnly take on what you can manageif a whole plot is too much, go for half a plot. Make sure you stretch and swap around activities; for example a bit of digging, a bit of watering, a bit of pruning. Most importantly, have fun! By following these top tips, you will be able to do your gardening safely and effectively. I welcome any suggestions for future topics from you all. All you have to do is write to me at c.uppenkamp@ dartford.homeinstead.co.uk or by post to Unit 3, Swanscombe Business Centre, 17 London Road, Swanscombe, DA10 0LH.
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