Gentle Methods for the Hard Work of Gardening

Gardening requires a lot of physical labor¹. The activity can extend from light exercise to heavy labor. All that bending, lifting, digging, carrying and moving burns calories and builds muscle.

But it can also injure the body. A gardener's back can start to hurt and so can their knees. Even the strongest and healthiest of gardeners can hurt themselves. For people who are less physically² fit or who have health conditions that limit movement or cause pain, gardening may seem impossible.

But there are ways to grow plants that are gentle on the body says expert Jessica Damiano. She recently provided some advice on the subject in a report for the Associated Press.

Damiano said she uses heating pads on her neck and lower back for about five minutes before starting to garden. This helps to prepare her muscles for work. A few minutes of gentle stretching helps, too.

Try to collect all the tools you will need before settling in to your labor. It is also a good idea to store the heaviest equipment on waist-height shelves for the easiest and safest removal and return.

Taking simple care in the way you lift and carry the objects you need can prevent injury. Remember to bend at the knees when lifting bags of mulch. You can stand with your feet as far apart as your shoulders to keep your balance. If bending at all is too difficult, or if you garden while seated, grow plants in raised beds that are as tall as your chair or the middle part of your body. You also can grow plants in towers or on trellises.

Use wheelbarrows to transport heavy supplies. It is easy to overestimate³ your ability to carry heavy loads. The result can lead to injury. When you carry weight on your own, hold heavy objects to your chest, keeping your back as straight as possible. Plant containers can be very heavy. It is best to set containers where you want them before you fill them.

Damiano's flower garden contains mostly perennials⁵. She likes them better than annuals, which need replanting every year. That lessens⁶ her work – and bending – a great deal. Plus, perennials, which return year after year, usually cost more at first but, over time, save money because you are not buying new annuals every spring.

Move around on a garden seat with wheels. You also can use pads to protect your knees. If you have hand pain or difficulty holding onto things, many tools now come with improved grips. You can also update your existing tools with grips and wraps made to fit them.

Most importantly, take it slow and easy. Limit gardening periods to between 60 and 90 minutes.

Words in This Story

calorie –n. a measure of heat used to show how much energy a food will produce in the body

pad –n. a flat thin device that is soft used to protect bones from injury or to hold heat or cold as a treatment

mulch –n. small pieces of organic material that are put on the ground around plants to improve their growth and suppress⁷ unwanted plants

tower --n. a raised structure

trellis ––n. a light structure usually of wood that supports climbing plants

wheelbarrow –n. a garden device with a wheel that is used to move heavy things like dirt

perennial⁴ –n. a plant that grows for many years

grip –n. the part of a tool that your hand holds in order to control it

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

3 overestimate   

v.估计过高，过高评价

参考例句：

• Don't overestimate seriousness of the problem.别把问题看重了。
• We overestimate our influence and our nuisance value.我们过高地估计了自己的影响力和破坏作用。

4 perennial   

adj.终年的；长久的

参考例句：

• I wonder at her perennial youthfulness.我对她青春常驻感到惊讶。
• There's a perennial shortage of teachers with science qualifications.有理科教学资格的老师一直都很短缺。

5 perennials   

n.多年生植物( perennial的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Name six perennials and six annuals suitable for indoor flower arrangement. 列出多年生及一年生花朵各六种，它们必须是适合插花的。 来自互联网
• Herbage can be divided into three categories: annuals, biennials, and perennials. 草本植物可分成一年生、二年生和多年生。 来自互联网

6 lessens   

变少( lessen的第三人称单数 )； 减少（某事物）

参考例句：

• Eating a good diet significantly lessens the risk of heart disease. 良好的饮食习惯能大大减少患心脏病的机率。
• Alcohol lessens resistance to diseases. 含有酒精的饮料会减弱对疾病的抵抗力。

7 suppress   

vt.压制，镇压，查禁，抑制，阻止

参考例句：

• He continued to suppress the people and serve the imperialists.他继续镇压人民，为帝国主义效劳。
• She was struggling to suppress her sobs.她拼命不让自己哭出来。