Every spring millions of people start planning their gardens for the upcoming summer, and planning usually involves what to plant, where to plant, and when to plant, but not necessarily what to wear. Protection from garden tools and chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers is essential to make your gardening season the most productive and satisfying it can be.



Protection for your hands is critical, and there's nothing like a good pair of gardening gloves to help. There are several kinds however, that should be taken into consideration. Leather is usually the best and offers the best protection but leather can become hot and uncomfortable in the heat. New Kevlar gloves offer a lighter weight alternative with the same protection. Price can also be a factor when considering this new technology. Cotton gloves are great for absorbing moisture and offering comfort from the heat, but have very little protection when it comes to punctures or tearing.

Newer forms of gloves offer a polyesters/cotton blend with built in little rubber beads for gripping, great for pulling stubborn weeds where you need more grip. Just keep in mind wearing not only gloves but a long sleeve shirt when applying fertilizers and other pesticides to your plants. Most of these chemicals can cause irritating rashes that can quickly become uncomfortable.

An often overlooked part of the body that needs attention is the foot. Sure you can put on a pair of leather work boots and trudge off to your garden, but these can be impractical and uncomfortable. Rubber boots will keep your feet dry, but in the warmer months, hot sweaty feet are not a desirable trait. An alternative would be to wear rubber shoes, rubber to keep the water out and shoes to let the natural moisture out.

One of the better rubber shoes on the market is from the Muck Boot Company, in the form of their garden daily shoes. For ladies the shoes come in many different colors, such as lilac purple, and dusty rose pink. The biggest plus these shoes offer for your feet are their resistance to chemicals and other contaminants, they're extremely pliable and flexible, and easily slip on and off.

Appropriate eye protection is also essential when spraying fertilizers, nearly all fertilizers warn against ingesting and getting the chemicals into your eyes. Even though you might think you're going to be spraying away from your face, a gust of wind out of nowhere is always possible and might be just enough to redirect anything into your face and subsequently into your eyes.

When using garden utensils such as cutting shears, always make sure you get them sharpened before the start of the growing season. Trying to garden with dull blades and other utensils causes you to exert more and this can be dangerous. Overexertion can not only to cause you to hurt yourself it can cause your tools to slip cutting you in the process.

Whenever you plan your garden for the upcoming season, be sure to plan for yourself too, and this includes protection so you can stay healthy and be able to attend to your plants for the entire season.