27 April 2023
Written by Lizzie Quarterman,
Clinically reviewed by Sharon Coyle
With Spring in full bloom, the May Bank Holidays could be the perfect opportunity to hone your gardening skills and make the most of your outside space!
If you’re lucky enough to have a garden, then getting active in it is not only a great way to stay physically healthy but, if your lawn, beds or pots are looking a little unloved, it’s also a brilliant opportunity to throw yourself into a project and keep yourself busy.
No matter your age or ability, gardening is a skill that anyone can learn and there are so many great tools available to make planting, weeding or tidying up safer and easier. Adding an outdoor grab rail to either side of your back door can help you keep your balance as you cross the threshold into your garden.
If you need a little extra support when walking, a wheeled walking frame or compact rollator will give you helpful, additional support whilst increasing your safety and confidence outside.
If you’re steady on your feet, but find it difficult to bend, stretch or stand for long periods of time, a combination garden stool and kneeler can be invaluable when weeding a border, planting new blooms, painting your fences, or pruning bushes and shrubs.
Gardening is a great hobby… but you don’t need a garden to do it! Creating an edible garden with fruit and vegetables is so easy to do and can provide some tasty rewards. Edible gardens can grow on windowsills or on balconies, as well as in an actual garden.
If you have a windowsill, you can buy a metal, wood or plastic window box. Each one has its own merits:
This is where the fun really starts! The first thing to remember is “compost is key”. Buying the best potting compost you can afford will make the difference in terms of how well your plants will grow. Some better composts are also lighter, which is important, as the window boxes will only take so much weight. Be sure to fill your window box until the compost is 2.5–5 cm below the lip of the box.
Now you need to decide exactly what you want to grow and choose the right seeds As a starting point, some varieties of lettuce, such as Tan Tan and Little Gem, are developed specifically for window boxes and patio use, or you might decide rocket, cress and pea shoots are more your thing. If you have a balcony, you can get very adventurous growing French beans, radishes, tomatoes, and spring onions.
Next comes the planting. For very small leaves, plant 1 cm apart; for slightly bigger leaves, plant 5–10 cm apart and for larger leaves allow a gap of 25–35 cm. Be careful about the orientation of the plants. Lettuces need afternoon shade, or they will wilt. If the windowsill gets no sun, you could try growing herbs, such as mint.
Once planted, make sure you give your plants a big drink to start, until all the water starts to come through the drainage holes at the bottom, then continue to water at regular intervals.
Whether you have a garden or not, remember that your gardening skills can grow in many different ways, and there's a multitude of products to help you do this safely and easily in our comprehensive Gardening Aids section.
Whether you have a garden or not, remember that your gardening skills can grow in many different ways, and there's a multitude of products to help you do this safely and easily in our comprehensive Gardening Aids section.
If you have a balcony, you can grow a great deal more, as deeper pots will allow bigger lettuces and other plants to grow.
If you have a health condition which affects the joints in your hand and arm, using a tool like the Easi-Grip Garden Cultivator will help make planting your seeds easier, as the upright handle is designed to keep your hand and wrist at a natural angle to reduce the strain placed on the joint.
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