Discover the 10 Game-Changing Secrets to Effortless Gardening, Perfect for Spoonies!

Gardening is a time-consuming and physically demanding hobby, making it challenging for spoonies to find joy in this natural and nourishing hobby.

The word “spoonie” comes from the Spoon Theory, which refers to the amount of energy a person has each given day by comparing it to spoons. A spoonie is a positive term for someone with a chronic illness or disabilities.

One gardening-loving spoonie took to a popular online gardening forum to ask for advice. They struggle to maintain their garden because they often go through weeks-long periods of low energy, which make it difficult or even impossible to garden.

How can they make gardening more accessible? Other spoonies provide their advice in the comments.

Weeding is taxing for everyone, especially for those with disabilities. To avoid kneeling on the ground close to the plants and hurting yourself, you can invest in tools like a scuffle hoe to help you weed while standing up.

Using mulch as a gardening tool can be a massive time-saver in many climates. When you put mulch down on top of the soil, you won’t have to water or fertilize your plants quite as regularly. As a result, many gardeners call mulch a “lifesaver.”

Another way to reduce your garden’s required maintenance is to invest in self-watering pots. One spoonie gardener shares that they accidentally ignored some herbs in a self-watering pot for the entire summer and they grew wonderfully.

“So much that I need advice on what to do with so many herbs!” they add.

Utilizing raised garden beds is one of the best ways to avoid crouching on your knees while gardening. One commenter explains that their second year of gardening while disabled was much simpler solely because they used raised garden beds to eliminate the need to bend over.

One of the most taxing parts of owning a garden is having to go outside to water the plants once or twice daily. You can invest in a sprinkler system that works on a timer. All you have to do is enter your chosen settings, and your hoses will turn on to water your plants every twelve to twenty-four hours.

Summer gardening means being outside in the sun, which can sap your energy quickly. To avoid overheating, try staying in the shade as much as possible. While your plants need sunshine, you can create temporary shade with an umbrella hooked to your chair or secured in the ground.

Other options include walking through your sprinklers, wearing wet clothing, wearing white, and wearing a gardening hat. One gardener even suggested investing in a cooling vest.

One of the most important things to remember if you’re engaging in any outdoor activity is to stay hydrated. “Drink twice as much water as you think you need,” one garden-loving spoonie suggests.

Another great way to stay cool while gardening is to avoid working out in the midday sun. Instead, garden in the mornings when the sun is low in the sky and the temperatures are slightly cooler.

Your workload goes down significantly if you prioritize planting perennials instead of annuals. Perennials are plants that live for at least two years, meaning you don’t have to plant them yearly as you do with annuals.

One of the easiest ways to produce food in your garden is by planting fruit trees and bushes. You’ll get fresh fruits and berries yearly with little maintenance after you plant the trees.

For many disabled people, crouching is painful and out of the question. But when gardening requires you to get down on your knees in the dirt to pull weeds or plant flowers, what can you do to make that experience accessible?

One gardener suggests bringing a chair outside so you can sit down close to the ground. You get back support and can sit comfortably rather than rest your weight on your knees in the dirt.

This originally appeared on Planet Natural.