Make Your Own Adaptive Tools

Having the right tool can make any job easier. If special physical needs limit what you can accomplish in your garden, adapting your existing equipment or building some simple specialized tools can help enable you to perform difficult or uncomfortable tasks.

A Back-friendly Planting Tool

Planting seeds can exacerbate painful back and knee conditions. This simple tool will reduce the amount of bending and squatting required while still allowing you to place your seeds right where you want them.

To make this planting tool, cut a four foot length of 2 ½” PVC pipe -- your local home improvement store can cut it for you if you lack the tools – with a 45 degree angle at one end. Use the sharp end of this little tool to draw furrows or punch holes through friable soil. Feed a seed through the hole at the top and let it roll through the pipe to the ground, then use the pipe to cover the seed with the appropriate amount of soil. You can plant your entire garden without bending!

Outside the Box

Common household supplies can be reinvented as helpful garden aids. A roll of toilet paper can be a useful planting tool for gardeners with impaired fine motor skill, weak grip or arthritic fingers.

Carefully pour seeds on to a piece of cloth that contrasts with the color of the seeds. Pull off a square of toilet paper, dampen it with a spritz of water, and use the paper to pick up a seed. Drop the tissue square into your prepared planting hole. The paper will break down quickly with water and your seed will be where you want it.

If you are planting small seeds, such a field greens, that don’t require precise placement, use a spice jar to sprinkle them across the prepared bed.

Lighten Your Load

Container gardens can be a great solution to many traditional garden woes, but caring for one can still cause back, knee and hand pain. If you often lift your planters, make the task as easy as possible. Only use the depth of soil the plant needs. Fill the bottom of the container with lightweight perlite or packing peanuts to make up the volume difference.

If you often rotate or shift your containers to adjust for changing light conditions, place the containers of a 4”-5” wide strip of sturdy cloth that extend past the pot at least 6” on each side. When it is time to turn the plant, simply grab the ends of the cloth and use them to reposition the pot. These handles are not a safe way to lift a pot or move it from one shelf to another, but they are useful for sliding your containers along the same shelf.

Modify your Tools

Equipment with wider, padded handles are often easier to grip, especially if you have reduced hand strength. Medium density foam is available at most craft and fabric stores. Cut rectangles long enough to fit your hands and wide enough to accommodate the handle you wish to wrap. Slice about three-quarters the way through the width of the foam rectangle, stopping an inch short of the top. Fit the handle into the notch and secure the foam with duct tape to make a more comfortable hoe, rake, spade or shovel.

Modifying your equipment does not have to be expensive. By using your imagination and some simple supplies, many gardening tasks can become more comfortable.

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