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.

Use the Right Tools

Woman smiling next to her garden.
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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.

Use Mulch

Hands working in 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.”

Utilize Self-Watering Pots

Homemade self watering planter.
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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.

Garden in Raised Beds

Raised bed garden.
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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.

Create a Hose Network

Hose network in garden.
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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.

Stay Cool

Woman working in her garden.
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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.

Drink Water

Woman drinking bottled 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.

Garden in the Morning

Man and woman working in the garden.
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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.

Plant Perennials

Elderly woman working in a raised bed garden.
Image Credit: Canva.
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.

Bring a Chair Outside

Elderly woman sitting a chair in her garden
Image Credit: Shutterstock.
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.