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Avatar for Amarante87
Jan 29, 2016 8:08 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Nadine
Southeast Alabama (Zone 8b)
Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
This thread is for gardeners of any variety who have to work around physical challenges to do what they love to do, interact with plants and nature.
I am Nadi. One of a group of disabled individuals who work together to maintain a small apiary, vegetable garden and some spaces just for pleasure. We are located in USDA Zone 8b and SunsetZone 31.
How is everyone in the old gang? I’ve miss you all. Thanks for the phone call that got us all moving again, TTC. It is unusually cold and we all have the energy level of 3-toed sloths. I will be so glad when it warms up and we can come out of hibernation.
The honeybees have weathered the cold thus far and seem healthy. There are winter greens in the vegetable garden unaffected by the cold and newly sown flats of cool season vegetables in the greenhouse.
A green anole has found a way into my micro-house and decided to become my roommate. I put it outside every morning, but wake up the next morning to find it sleeping by the heater. At least I don’t have to chase it down to put it outside now. We’ve developed a sort of routine; it crawls willingly onto my hand every morning to be put out for the day. As roommates go, I have had worse.
Again, TTC. Any words of wisdom from Wise Cactus?
Avatar for Dutchlady1
Jan 29, 2016 8:29 AM CST

Plumerias Photo Contest Winner: 2015 Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Forum moderator
Region: Florida Cat Lover Garden Sages Cactus and Succulents Tropicals Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
Welcome! Amarante87
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Jan 29, 2016 9:53 AM CST
Name: Rosie
HILLSBOROUGH, NC (Zone 7b)
If it sparkles - I'm there!
Bookworm Dragonflies Garden Art Region: North Carolina Plays in the sandbox Deer
I am excited you have started this thread. I am not currently dealing with a true physical challenge ...but if I live long enough, I will I feel sure. Sciatica and a bum knee ground me now somedays. We recently updated a bathroom for future living and aging in place needs ...and I intend to be in the garden until I am part of it!! So any tips / hints on design and equipment will be welcome as you all talk about things.
Don't squat with yer spurs on!

People try to turn back their "odometers." Not me. I want people to know 'why' I look this way. I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved
Last edited by MISSINGROSIE Jan 29, 2016 10:28 AM Icon for preview
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Jan 29, 2016 10:19 AM CST
Name: Marilynne Stephenson
Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada (Zone 3a)
LOVE to laugh :-)
Birds Enjoys or suffers cold winters Deer Native Plants and Wildflowers Zinnias Region: Canadian
Garden Photography Butterflies Dog Lover Dragonflies Hummingbirder Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Welcome! Nadi

Boy will I be interested in this thread.
My BFF lives with DH and myself.
Lorna is a gardener/landscaper, in charge of 28+ flower gardens, the pruning and cultivating of many shrubs etc .. in a large cemetery.
Lorna is an above knee amputee since 2009 .. she had a blood clot in her ankle, and, within a week had lost her limb, AND, she has never looked back.
Her innovative way of thinking (she's a woman fer sure) just blows people away Thumbs up
She gardens using her walker, she has a very finnikity prosthesis .. but, she deals with it flawlessly ..
I am going to have her sign up for ATP as I know she will love to watch and comment on this thread ..

THANK you so much for starting Physically Challenged Gardeners Group hug

~M~
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Jan 29, 2016 10:45 AM CST
Name: June
Rosemont, Ont. (Zone 4a)
Birds Beavers Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Native Plants and Wildflowers Dragonflies Cat Lover
Region: Canadian Cactus and Succulents Butterflies Deer Garden Ideas: Level 1
Nadine, Thank You! for starting this thread. Arthritis in my knees is making it difficult for me to kneel down to weed and plant, and due to arthritis in my hands I can't hold my gardening tools properly, but I don't want to give up gardening. I'm open to any and all ideas for making my garden workable again.
Avatar for SeaCanepain
Jan 29, 2016 2:09 PM CST
Name: Jw Smith
South East Alabama (Zone 8b)
God is the Blessing in my life.
Hello there Kiddo. Thanks for starting the thread. (Jim)
Avatar for Dutchlady1
Jan 29, 2016 3:23 PM CST

Plumerias Photo Contest Winner: 2015 Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Forum moderator
Region: Florida Cat Lover Garden Sages Cactus and Succulents Tropicals Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
Welcome! SeaCanepain!
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Jan 29, 2016 6:12 PM CST
Name: Marilynne Stephenson
Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada (Zone 3a)
LOVE to laugh :-)
Birds Enjoys or suffers cold winters Deer Native Plants and Wildflowers Zinnias Region: Canadian
Garden Photography Butterflies Dog Lover Dragonflies Hummingbirder Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Welcome to everyone .. I do think this will become a well used thread ..

Thumbs up

~M~
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Jan 29, 2016 9:30 PM CST
Name: Pat (Backward Glance)
Lucketts, VA
Cat Lover Irises Ferns Hellebores Native Plants and Wildflowers Hostas
Clematis Peonies Lilies Garden Procrastinator Garden Art Birds
Welcome!
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Jan 29, 2016 10:14 PM CST
Name: Sandy B.
Ford River Twp, Michigan UP (Zone 4b)
(Zone 4b-maybe 5a)
Charter ATP Member Bee Lover Butterflies Birds I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Greenhouse Region: United States of America Region: Michigan Enjoys or suffers cold winters
Welcome to All Things Plants, Nadine and Jim ! This is an excellent topic -- many of us are getting a bit up in years, shall we say, and have to modify our gardening activities a bit. One of the best things I ever bought was a "kneeler," like this one at Gardener's Supply: http://www.gardeners.com/buy/g...

Getting up from kneeling on the ground is NOT my best activity anymore, I'm afraid!
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." ~ Albert Schweitzer
C/F temp conversion
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Jan 29, 2016 10:31 PM CST
Name: Rosie
HILLSBOROUGH, NC (Zone 7b)
If it sparkles - I'm there!
Bookworm Dragonflies Garden Art Region: North Carolina Plays in the sandbox Deer
Weedwhacker said:Welcome to All Things Plants, Nadine and Jim ! This is an excellent topic -- many of us are getting a bit up in years, shall we say, and have to modify our gardening activities a bit. One of the best things I ever bought was a "kneeler," like this one at Gardener's Supply: http://www.gardeners.com/buy/g...

Getting up from kneeling on the ground is NOT my best activity anymore, I'm afraid!


I agree. Makes life easier for sure. I need those bars to raise up. I also have a seat low to ground/ stool of sorts - that rolls on wheels and the seat on a spring leans foward as I reach...I like it, but once I leaned too far over and it tossed me out. Definitely a learning curve.
Don't squat with yer spurs on!

People try to turn back their "odometers." Not me. I want people to know 'why' I look this way. I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved
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Jan 30, 2016 7:18 AM CST
Name: Juli
Ohio (Zone 6a)
Region: United States of America Charter ATP Member Cottage Gardener Daylilies Garden Photography Enjoys or suffers cold winters
Birds Hummingbirder Butterflies Dog Lover Cat Lover Garden Ideas: Master Level
Amarante87 said:How is everyone in the old gang? I’ve miss you all. Thanks for the phone call that got us all moving again, TTC. ………..
Again, TTC. Any words of wisdom from Wise Cactus?


Nadi, welcome to ATP. Wondering if you were starting this up for people that used to be at DG in a thread there? I have not been over there for a few years. Or another garden site? Your comments above lead me to think your coming from somewhere else and may be bringing some others with you?

If your thread is open to everyone and not an old group of friends from another site you meant to gather here…. I certainly fit your criteria! I used to have a huge veggie and perennial garden, a commercial daylily garden (and a real job). Now, I am down to a small shade area along the front of my house and a perennial and daylily bed the size of a bedroom. And hoping I will be able to care for that. I have had to make a lot of adaptations.

Welcome!
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Jan 30, 2016 7:34 AM CST
Name: Marilynne Stephenson
Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada (Zone 3a)
LOVE to laugh :-)
Birds Enjoys or suffers cold winters Deer Native Plants and Wildflowers Zinnias Region: Canadian
Garden Photography Butterflies Dog Lover Dragonflies Hummingbirder Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Juli ..

Kind of amazing how we learn to adapt Thumbs up

I have a hip replacement to contend with .. bending and reaching ae not my forte anymore .. nor stooping ..
Lorna has a kneeler (many) and swears by them ..

Hoping everyone has a great weekend .. I have snow to shovel .. THAT I can doo Blinking

~M~
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Jan 30, 2016 8:51 AM CST
Name: Juli
Ohio (Zone 6a)
Region: United States of America Charter ATP Member Cottage Gardener Daylilies Garden Photography Enjoys or suffers cold winters
Birds Hummingbirder Butterflies Dog Lover Cat Lover Garden Ideas: Master Level
Yes, some days it would be really easy to just give up, but I keep trying, just cutting back the area I grow in. Still in the process of this last cut back in size. Only keeping the most care free of plants. Nothing that needs cutting, spraying, digging up, frequent dividing.

If I make any more cut backs than this one I am working on now, it will have to be to a few containers and I really don't want to do that, as I don't know much about annuals. Containers would be difficult to overwinter in my area.
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Jan 30, 2016 9:28 AM CST
Name: Rosie
HILLSBOROUGH, NC (Zone 7b)
If it sparkles - I'm there!
Bookworm Dragonflies Garden Art Region: North Carolina Plays in the sandbox Deer
I have a few concrete planters with a creeping / hanging sedum that require not much. the tolerate ice and heat equally well. never water unless a really prolonged dry spell
Don't squat with yer spurs on!

People try to turn back their "odometers." Not me. I want people to know 'why' I look this way. I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved
Image
Jan 30, 2016 10:28 AM CST
Name: Melanie
Lutz, Florida (Zone 9b)
Butterflies Enjoys or suffers hot summers Hummingbirder Birds Bee Lover Bookworm
Region: Florida Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Bromeliad Native Plants and Wildflowers Plant Identifier Salvias
Hello, fellow gardeners! I, too am a physically challenged gardener. For those who don't know me already, I'm the moderator of the BBB forum - that's birds, butterflies, and bees. I'm primarily a butterfly gardener. I live with my parents although I am 36. At the age of 30, I became ill with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome and had to quit working. I lost a lot of my physical strength, especially in my hands. Makes it hard to pull weeds. I'm lucky in that I use a lot of native plants that don't really need much attention. My parents help, too (mostly Dad) but they are both 66 and have health problems of their own. Still, every little bit helps! I live on a half-acre lot so it's not like I have a massive garden, but in Florida we rarely get a "break". And in the summer, it's just unbearable even for healthy people to do outdoor work.

Welcome! to Nadine and thanks for starting this thread!
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Jan 30, 2016 11:19 AM CST
Name: Rosie
HILLSBOROUGH, NC (Zone 7b)
If it sparkles - I'm there!
Bookworm Dragonflies Garden Art Region: North Carolina Plays in the sandbox Deer
Hi Melanie
I have zone envy although I know it has its challenges with heat, humidity amd the biting bugs.
I lived n So. Fla for many years ...most were before interest in gardening...middle and high school and briefly as young mom.

I bet you are creating a BBB paradise for your parents to enjoy even with their labor contribution.

Look forward to photos etc.
Do you have to do anything special when the hurricanes threaten with regard to the butterflies...or do they just " wing " it?
Don't squat with yer spurs on!

People try to turn back their "odometers." Not me. I want people to know 'why' I look this way. I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved
Image
Jan 30, 2016 11:47 AM CST
Name: Lyn
Weaverville, California (Zone 8a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Sages Garden Ideas: Level 1
Weedwhacker said:Welcome to All Things Plants, Nadine and Jim ! This is an excellent topic -- many of us are getting a bit up in years, shall we say, and have to modify our gardening activities a bit. One of the best things I ever bought was a "kneeler," like this one at Gardener's Supply: http://www.gardeners.com/buy/g...

Getting up from kneeling on the ground is NOT my best activity anymore, I'm afraid!


Welcome! Nadine and Jim ... great topic.

Sandy, my stool like the one in your link lives in the garden shed. I just didn't have the flexibility I wanted while I was working. Yes, getting up can be a challenge, so I just keep a short stool to help me get down and up.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035Y4ACW/

There are a lot of sites with information about how the disabled or aging gardener can continue gardening and many sites with specific tools that make our tasks easier. Here are two examples:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035Y4ACW/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035Y4ACW/
I'd rather weed than dust ... the weeds stay gone longer.
Avatar for SeaCanepain
Jan 30, 2016 12:03 PM CST
Name: Jw Smith
South East Alabama (Zone 8b)
God is the Blessing in my life.
Hello All. This thread is shifted from DG we have a few people who came with us. But is for anyone who has ideas or needs help. Maybe we as a group can figure out things to help one another.
Avatar for Dutchlady1
Jan 30, 2016 12:21 PM CST

Plumerias Photo Contest Winner: 2015 Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Forum moderator
Region: Florida Cat Lover Garden Sages Cactus and Succulents Tropicals Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
Eventually this might even get its own forum Thumbs up

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