Just wondering if any of you folks who liked to hands on deal with the limits of hands off the physical stuff. I hit it as I can but it not as hard as I'd like. Puttering seems to be becoming more real. Small tasks seem to grow in correlation with anemia and muscle loss still the ticker is A OK.
I didn't realize it was chronic.
Certainly the lasagna gardening has been a great effort saver. I would be screwed if I still spaded my plots as I formerly did.
Mulch and newsprint suppressing weeds.
The dibble has been a great time saver as well. Now that the soil is loose, I can take seedlings from starting trays that use the 1" X 1" cells, and drop them into the hole left by the dibble.
Once in, drip allows you to forego the bulk of the watering with the flip of a switch.
I assume you are under the care of a physician. Three years before I retired I was working so much that I quit going to the gym. That was a big mistake, I gained 40 pounds in the three years. I putter around the house myself and gardening in no way is a substitute for the gym. Specific machines can target muscular strength and the cardio for energy.
Since retirement this year I went back to the gym. I feel better now and getting stronger. Also this a big factor, i had a pituitary tumor when I was a teenager. I have a sluggish pituitary. This is the Master Gland that controls almost all glands in the body. I have been taking testosterone injections and other steroids for forty years. With out the shots, and I have done without the shots to see what would happen, in one year I would not and was not able to walk to the mailbox without holding on to something. I used to get one shot shot per month, now I get two shots per month. The testosterone patches and creams are worthless as they do not have the strength that I need.
Ask your doctor, like the stupid commercials on TV. Get tested for low testosterone. It can help you gain some muscular strength and energy. However, one must lift weights to build muscle mass and cardio equipment helps build the up the heart muscles or the shots are useless. Without the shot I could lift weight to the next blue moon and still not gain strength. The shots does have side effects, about three days after the shot, I have to watch myself for Rages and a strong desire for sex that last about three days. But it is much better than hanging on to something in order to walk between A and B and huffing and puffing.
I've got an old book, "Minimum Maintenance Gardening Handbook". Don't know if it would help or is still in print. Advice is about what you would expect.
Also, to me, machines are part of the answer. My lot slopes too much for a riding mower but I have the best of self propelled. Now instead of trimming I have gas and electric weed whackers. Clipping shears have given way to electric ones.
Years ago I could shovel snow all day but now my back gives out and I have a snow thrower.
Still have to watch it as a few weeks ago I used the chain saw to cut up a large fallen limb for firewood and figuring since I was all dirty and smelly, I might as well do some heavy weed whacking and I paid for it with a sore back for a week.
Really heavy stuff, you need to hire someone. My toughest pruning job in the fall is a line of overgrown junipers. This year, I'm calling in my tree guy to come and remove them.
I don't have a lot of physical strength, but I'm often amazed at how much I can achieve in the strength department if I use my head to think about how I might do it - you know that old saying about 'give me a fulcrum and I can move the world'. Now it's more like a trolley with wheels and a crowbar or a truckies knot or ......
The other thing I don't have like I used to in my youth is stamina. I just can't spend 8 hours working in the garden or I'[m too shattered to even sleep that night if I try that caper. Pottering is what I do now and it's amazing how 5 or 10 minutes here and there throughout the day all adds up to achieving something.
I also don't worry if I either can't finish soemthing or it takes me weeks to finish something. I also don't care if the garden is not up to others standards, it's MY garden and I'll have it how I want it or how I can manage it and 'get knotted' to any visitor who doesnt' approve of the odd weed or rough bits round the edges
All good advice, and three more:
Naturally it all comes down to thinking.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.