And when you go inside for the evening, treat yourself to a nice soak in a hot bath with a cup full of Epsom salts - and, if you have any handy, a few drops of lavender or other essential oils to help soak out the aches.
Things That Can Really Bug You!
Another physical danger is that of insect bites. They are out, swarming and hungry these days! We know to be wary of fleas and ticks, and now we need to worry about mosquitoes. You could cover up from head to toe but that can make getting things done difficult, especially on very hot days - when too much heat can lead to sunstroke. So why not just find a good insect repellant and cover yourself with that? I made my own last year using two tablespoons of a nice, fragrance free and mineral oil free lotion to which I added 3 drops citronella, 3 drops lavender and 2 drops tea tree oil. It smelled better and felt better than the oily commercial stuff, and it worked.
I treated the few bites that I received before I remembered my lotion with tea tree oil applied neat to the skin. It smells terribly medicinal when used on its own - but the itching subsided almost immediately. Even people who are not into aromatherapy will swear by the stuff. Here is some basic information about these oils as well as combinations for easing sore muscles. Don't be like my husband and knock it before he tried it. I had to buy a second bottle of tea tree oil after he abducted mine!
In Summary
Despite some of my spoofing around here, there are some pitfalls associated with gardening. Some are emotional and others are undeniably physical. When you think about all the overall benefits of gardening in making us psychologically and physically healthy, it seems a shame to let these things throw us.
Just remember these few important things.
- Plants can live in pots until you get to them. Don't stress out because you don't get them all into the ground the first week.
- If you really can't find a home for the plants that begged you to adopt them, make someone else happy. Plants make terrific gifts.
- If it really feels like too much for you - get help. Hire a neighborhood kid. Get together with friends and share the work in both your gardens. Substitute high maintenance plants with easy ones that won't demand too much of you.
- Pace yourself. Take frequent breaks to enjoy what you've accomplished and plan ways to make the garden easier to manage.
- Stretch and warm up before jumping right into the heavy gardening chores.
- Be prepared with great, ergonomically designed tools and equipment.
- Don't forget a good insect repellant and some good bath products for soaking away the days activities.
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