I've been dealing with a chronic illness that limits my energy, making it tough to keep up with aerobic activities without crashing. For anyone who's going through something similar, what steps or changes have you implemented to maintain your gardening hobby? I'm eager to hear your thoughts and suggestions!
4 Answers
I keep my garden small and use a lot of tools that make things easier. I love using raised beds for auto-watering, and a gardening stool lets me take breaks when I need to. Also, I focus on long-term plants like berry bushes and self-seeding flowers. Just being patient with the process has helped me a lot!
I’m in a similar boat but it’s temporary for me. Heat makes it really hard, so I do my gardening from the shaded porch. I’ve become more of a night owl, so I can get out there when it’s cooler and use the tools I've collected over the years. Getting a long-handled scoop shovel has been a game changer for digging without bending too much!
I’ve switched to native plant gardening, which is way easier on the maintenance front long-term. I’ve also scaled back my vegetable garden and opted for larger pots to avoid bending over too much. Plus, herbs are generally less demanding than veggies. Luckily, my teenage son has taken an interest in gardening and is always ready to help out!
First off, don't be too hard on yourself! If you plant something and can’t always tend to it, that's completely fine. Just pace yourself—break gardening into short sessions instead of long ones. Keep your tools handy to save energy, and don’t hesitate to ask for help. Gardening in cooler times of the day can also make a big difference. Finally, I set up tall grow beds which lets me garden without a lot of bending, which really helps!
That's a great tip about the scoop shovel! I need to look into that.