10 Best Tips for Gardening as a Spoonie

By: Melissa Askari Published: 29 Apr, 23

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.

Table of Contents

1. Create a Hose Network

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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.

2. Bring a Chair Outside

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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.

3. Stay Cool

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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.

4. Drink Water

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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.

5. Garden in the Morning

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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.

6. Plant Perennials

Elderly woman working in a raised bed garden.

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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.

7. Use the Right Tools

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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.

8. Use Mulch

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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.”

9. Utilize Self-Watering Pots

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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.

10. Garden in Raised Beds

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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.

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Woman replanting a young calathea makoyana plant.

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This originally appeared on Planet Natural.

This thread inspired this post.

Melissa Askari

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Melissa Askari is a biologist and master gardener who is known for her contributions to the field of sustainable living. She is a regular contributor to Planet Natural, a website that provides information and resources for gardening, composting and pest control. Melissa's work focuses on promoting environmentally-friendly practices and helping people create beautiful, healthy gardens using natural methods. With her expertise in both biology and gardening, Melissa is able to provide valuable insights and advice to gardeners of all levels. Her passion for the natural world is evident in her writing and her dedication to promoting sustainable practices that benefit both people and the planet.