Are you a gardener who has noticed “creaky” knees or aching hands? Or perhaps you suffer from a chronic illness or injury that requires you to use a cane or wheelchair? You may think you can no longer garden, but take heart—it’s only a myth. Many gardeners continue to enjoy the physical and mental benefits of gardening even with the bite of arthritis in joints or sitting in a wheelchair. All suggestions from this point forward are intended to be helpful hints and should never be construed as permission to perform dangerous tasks. If you are having pain or are concerned that a specific action or task may be harmful, investigate this activity with your healthcare provider.

Stretch thoroughly before you begin gardening. In the garden, you are using many of the same muscles involved in a standard exercise program and it is important to stretch to help avoid injury. Alter your pace and activities in the garden. Have chairs and benches available and remember to stop and smell the roses! Options to vary activities are: weeding, deadheading or watering. By moving from one activity to another you avoid the muscle strain that may occur when you perform the same activity repeatedly.

Gardeners use many tools. One advantage for retirement-bound baby boomers is gardening supply companies have created tools specifically for this population. A quick search at your local nursery, horticulture catalog, or the internet with the term “enabling tools” or “ergonomic tools” will result in many options. Look for specially adapted hand tools with longer handles and ergonomic designs that make tasks easier. Many tools handles are created from fiberglass and nylon, creating stronger and lighter products. Painting the handles of all tools with a bright color will help you find them after they have been laid down or dropped. When choosing a cutting or digging tool, look for those that have strong, heavy duty metal. Like kitchen knives, keeping your tools sharp will assist in easing your work. Let your tool do the work!

If you have problems with your knees or back, try a tool with a telescoping handle so it does the reaching for you. It’s also helpful to maintain a neutral posture by bending your knees and keeping the back straight when you need to lift items. If you are shoveling, keep your feet wide enough apart to give your body the support it needs. And don’t twist your body—it is better to reposition your feet to maintain a neutral posture.

Once you find the proper tools, create a small space near the garden to store them so you can avoid extra steps to the storage shed or garage. An old mailbox can be the perfect container for your favorite spade and gloves, and can be put at a height that is easily reached from a wheelchair. Another easy container is a bucket that does double duty by holding your tools and the garden weeds. Or you might wear a utility belt or apron to keep your tools with you.

Some gardeners create a container that enables them to roll their tools with them. A garbage can with wheels can be filled with long-handled tools and rolled to the garden. Attaching a tool pouch to the garbage can will hold smaller items such as a trowel and clippers. Any system that keeps your most-used tools within easy reach will aid in decreasing the trips to the tool shed and save you energy.

To avoid strain, position your body near the area where the work needs to be done. Instead of standing with a hoe, you could sit and use a hand-held hoe as an option. Kneepads are a great cushion for times you are kneeling. An inexpensive option is available at your local marine outlet store: look for a square life preserver that is covered with a material meant to withstand water. It can easily last one to three seasons. The canvas handles help ease toting. Another option is a kneeler with arms that flip over, making a bench. The arms are also good leverage if you have trouble rising from a sitting or kneeling position. One company offers an ergonomic rocking seat that helps avoid bending and has an attachment to hold your hand tools.

Remember to protect your hands by wearing gloves. They also aid with gripping tools. Some gardeners believe that adding extra padding to their tools help avoid hand strain. Another suggestion to avoid stressing hands or wrists is to use pruning shears with rotating handles, providing greater power for cutting.

Now that you have taken care of your body and gardening tools, it may be time to consider redesigning the garden. Do you find yourself spending a lot of time mowing and trimming the grass? By trading turf for a groundcover or delicious smelling herbs, you can have an attractive yard that is less maintenance. Planting more perennial beds also eliminates turfgrass maintenance.

A new garden design can also leave out plants that are high maintenance. A well known rose expert touts the benefits of disposing of a rose that is too fussy because there are many other roses waiting on the sidelines. This could be a good policy for your garden; stick with the plants that you know responds well in your garden. By including many of the same plants, you may notice a more unified garden design. While critiquing your garden design, consider removing any hedges that require weekly trimming, or replace them with low-maintenance shrubs.

Is there a friend or family member who typically surprises you with thoughtful gifts? Make a suggestion that a perfect gift might be adding compost to your existing beds, or to do other general maintenance. It is gratifying for both the giver and the gardener to know the gift is truly needed and appreciated.

Whether you walk with a cane or walker, or you whiz around in a wheelchair, a few well-placed paths can ease your transition into the garden. A well-designed path should be at least three feet wide to accommodate the walker or wheelchair, and should be made from a substance that is even without faults. You might consider placing handrails near the path. Another design idea is the addition of raised beds that can be easily reached while seated. Raised beds should not be more than 24-30” wide unless you have access from both sides. Always keep safety in mind; carrying a whistle can let you summon help if needed.

If you enjoy gardening in containers, put hanging baskets at a height that is easy to reach, or consider a pulley system to reduce the stress of reaching up for watering or deadheading. Large containers can be half-filled with Styrofoam peanuts so they require less potting soil and are easier to maneuver. Use a potting soil that includes fertilizer to save you time and energy.

There are many ways to continue your love of gardening and enjoy the health benefits from exercise. Remember, gardening is for everyone. Just as there are many different plants to fit your garden style, there are many ways to continue your love of gardening.

For more information, contact your local county Cooperative Extension office and ask for Fact Sheet #7.238 “Gardening in Containers”, Fact Sheet #7.400 “Groundcover Plants”, and Fact Sheets #7.415 "Decidious Shrubs."

The authors have received training through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.

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This page updated:  June 28, 2006