Gardening | Unlimiters Blog
Jan’s “Stand Uppity Garden” …(Part two)
A year ago I introduced you to my friend Jan who was in a severe auto accident back in the 70’s. She was told that she would never walk again but she didn‘t accept that verdict. Now she needs a wheelchair on long ventures but for the rest of the time she stands and walks on her own two feet.
However they didn’t use treated wood as it would have affected the produce so it didn‘t stand the test of time. She still loved the idea though and last year she mightily improved her idea of a standing high garden by using a 100 gallon Big Bag Bed from Smart Pots.
Jan swears by Smart Pots because they come in a variety of sizes and can be used for any and all of the projects in her amazing garden. The largest bag opens to a diameter of 4 feet and holds as much potting soil as a 4×4 garden. It is extremely sturdy and she can make as many “uppity” gardens as she wants by just putting a Big Bag Bed on top of a sturdy base.
And the smaller bags? They come with the complete endorsement of the many cats who roam and relax in this outdoor paradise!
Big Bag BedElevated GardeningGardeningSmart Pots
Taking care of a newborn has certainly sidelined many of my plans and ideas. I can’t believe it is already the middle of May and we haven’t yet planted our garden. Typically I have seedlings sprouting in March and April in preparation for planting day. This year, we will be relegated to buying plants at the local nursery.
Although I’m disappointed that we didn’t grow our plants from seed this year, I am still looking forward to planting and tending our little garden. It always astounds me how a small section of soil and produce so many vegetables. It is a lot of work, but I have come to believe that food grown in a home garden simply tastes better!
Gardening is not always easy, but I have a little helper to lighten the load. My son is almost 8, and he is eager to dig in the dirt and pull weeds. His favorite garden related chore, finding worms to help the soil, ranks among his favorite activities. My responsibility is keeping the garden watered. (In full disclosure my son would love to have this job, but he cannot be trusted with the hose.)
Schlepping the heavy and dirty garden hose through the yard each day used to be a frustrating task. No matter how carefully I pulled, I always ended with dirt and mulch covering my legs and forearms. The traditional hose is heavy and often became entwined in my flowerbeds and around my shrubs. I have tripped more times than I would like to recall because the filthy hose became tangled around my prosthesis .
On a whim last summer I bought the expandable garden hose featured on television commercials. I was weary that a lightweight, shrunken little tube would expand and transport the water across the yard to our little garden, but I decided to give it a try. Within seconds of turning on the faucet the hose began to expand and grow. I have to admit I’m not sure who was more excited, me or my 8 year old!
The expandable garden hose worked as promised, and continued to deliver throughout the summer. I never experienced a leak or break in the line. In addition to the novelty factor, the aggravation of contending with a dirty and unwieldy hose was completely eliminated.
I have been impressed with the expandable garden hose. This lightweight hose makes it easier, cleaner and safer for me to water our garden. This is just another product which has helped me to become an UNlimiter!
As Seen On TVExpandable Water HoseGardeningYard work
… to get this handy tool out of the shed, or at least that’s what my friend Bud says. He is an avid gardener but he’s also 84 years old and to put it in his words, “this old body just doesn’t have the bending parts where it used to”. That’s why he bought this Long Handle Weeder and Cultivator by Cobra Head a few years back and he says it’s one of the best purchases he’s ever made.
He lives in a nice two bedroom connected townhouse that overlooks a golf course (another thing that he is avid about) but it gives him a very small area for gardening. As a matter of fact many of his neighbors just leave their spots grassed in … but not Bud. He took it as a challenge and now they all reap the benefits.
In our area of North Carolina we seldom have freezing weather but the ground still gets hard and crusty. Bud tells me that this tool is perfect for breaking through this. He also loves the fact that this 62” tool does a great job of weeding and fits into tightly spaced areas. He can dig deep and get those pesky (and unattractive) weeds out while not damaging his valuable plants and he doesn’t have to bend over to do it.
“…and one last thing”, laughs Bud. “The blade is replaceable ! I’ve never had to do that but the option is always there if I run over the tool with my golf cart. I’ve been known to do that, you know!”
Cobra HeadGardeningSenior