Original article featured on The Day
Gardening is a wonderful activity that people from all walks of life enjoy. A garden full of fresh fruits and vegetables and/or beautiful blooms can instill a sense of pride in gardeners and turn their backyards into colorful, peaceful respites. Anyone with the will to do so can plant their own garden, and that includes those who struggle with mobility challenges.
Gardening from a wheelchair may present some unique challenges, but such obstacles are no reason for enthusiastic gardening mobility users to steer clear of this relaxing activity. To help you get prepared for gardening in a wheelchair, we checked in with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation for some essential gardening in a wheelchair life hacks.
Match the Garden to Your Abilities
Know your abilities and limitations and make sure your garden can accommodate. Going beyond your limits can lead to mental and/or physical injuries. Address issues that may impair how you can function in the garden, such as accessibility.
For example, if the garden is far away from the physical structure of your home, you may feel exhausted by the time you get to the garden, which can affect your productivity and progress. Prior to starting a garden, consider the potential that such issues may arise and then try to build a garden that makes it easy to overcome them.
Consider Adding a Raised Bed
Raised beds are highly recommended by many able and non-able bodied individuals as they create a beautiful aesthetic and cut down on labor intensity. When designing such beds, make sure they're narrow so they can be conveniently accessed from your wheelchair. The photo to the left shows a great example of a raised garden bed for mobility users.
Install Hanging Baskets
Hanging baskets can also be a great option for anyone gardening from a wheelchair. They can provide aesthetic appeal inside and outside of a home, and such baskets can be accessed with a pulley system that makes it easy for gardeners to prune and water plants.
Use Specialized Tools
Adaptive gardening tools are becoming widely popular because such tools make it easier for mobility users to independently care for a garden. The most common adaptive tools can range from trowels and weeders to pruners and cultivators but in some cases ergonomic-based tools may offer better support. If you have poor posture or need to frequently lean or twist to access your garden, then ergonomic tools will suit you best. A few helpful ergonomic tools are listed below.
Perfect for hard to reach plants, the Trigger-Release Lance is a tool that easily attaches to a standard garden hose, allowing you to water plants that are hanging, on the floor, between outdoor furniture, or plants that are too large or too small.
Used for watering plants, the Water & Mist Lance allow mobility users to effectively water the root zone of a plant without the need to bend, crouch, or use a stepladder.
Used to pick up items slightly out of reach, the E-Z Reacher is a highly durable gardening tool that can pick up anything ranging from a small dime to a five-pound brick.
Better suited for gardeners with mobility challenges, the Flower Gatherer can cut and grip a flower stem, so you can pick up and smell as many flowers as you'd like.
PETA’s Easi-Grip Gardening Tools
Specifically designed to relieve stress on the hand and wrist, PETA’s Easi-Grip Gardening Tool allow your hands to remain at its natural 90 degree angle while gardening to prevent strains and carpel tunnel syndrome.