Gardening and outdoors?

Posted by ellerbracke @ellerbracke, Jul 20, 2019

Sort of new to this group, there may be a sub-group I don’t know about. I love to garden - not all aspects of it, of course. But mostly it’s fun. Growing raspberries ( a true challenge in SC), blackberries, blueberries, currants, figs, many vegetables, and lots and lots of fragrant shrubs, flowers, clematis varieties, etc. After initial arthroscopic knee surgery (useless), followed by TKR almost a year ago, I am hoping to hear from other equally engaged gardeners how to best deal with/ work around the knee issue. I’m over-stressing my back, but so far I’m more concerned with all the plants I need to either dig up and toss, or dig up and move, this fall. Both knee surgeries were Oct/Sep. of previous years, so I’m 2 years behind the curve.
Basically hoping for any suggestions for the best way to deal with the limitation. Knee pads are often not an option due to dense plantings. Would love to hear from other back yard grubbers.

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@ellerbracke I will be more of a gardener when we move in two weeks. Just hearing you talk about it is overwhelming. I did not inherit my mother's green thumb.
Ginger

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@ellerbracke Hello and I have a suggestion have your husband make above ground planters for you . I didn't have this problem when I had my garden but have seen it done . Its a box with your dirt in and fertilizer mix. I have seen all kinds of vegies growing in it . Would save on your back. They call it raised garden I think ? Good luck

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@gingerw

@ellerbracke I will be more of a gardener when we move in two weeks. Just hearing you talk about it is overwhelming. I did not inherit my mother's green thumb.
Ginger

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@gingerw Once you get into it I think you may find it stress reducing Just plant the seeds water and watch them grow. Simple. I had to teach myself how to can also . I wasn't into gardening either but from a allergic son I had to learn. Then I loved watching the garden grow.

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@ellerbracke If it were not for my little flower garden and the backyard birds I would surely succumb to despair and depression. These give me a reason to keep trying. Members here have been a valuable asset in my life and hope you will feel welcome as well. I am not as active with the forums for now. This site is well organized, respectful and supportive.

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@lioness

@ellerbracke Hello and I have a suggestion have your husband make above ground planters for you . I didn't have this problem when I had my garden but have seen it done . Its a box with your dirt in and fertilizer mix. I have seen all kinds of vegies growing in it . Would save on your back. They call it raised garden I think ? Good luck

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@lioness One of my neighbors has two of above ground planters on her patio and I may try one next summer. She ordered these online and I was dubious at first. Looks like the way to go. Rather like hydroponincs except with dirt and not water alone.

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@parus One of my friends here does hydroponincs gardening I think I like to get my hands in the dirt .

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Wanted to share my Day Lilies from my garden. They place a smile upon my heart.

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@parus

Wanted to share my Day Lilies from my garden. They place a smile upon my heart.

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@parus Oooh, I love those colors, so rich-looking!
Ginger

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@parus

Wanted to share my Day Lilies from my garden. They place a smile upon my heart.

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@parus : those daylilies are lovely! I have some older varieties in my garden as well, but unfortunately many of them have the dreaded disease that turns the leaves rust-yellow and ugly. This in spite of cleaning up the withered leaves in the fall. As long as I keep up with the “bad” leaves, and keep the spent flower stalks trimmed to the ground, things look good. Pretty much that means fussing with them at least every 3 days. But going forward I may just yank the daylilies I have now and look for a less labor intensive alternative. I’m not getting any younger, and the summers in SC are getting hotter, making yard work a challenge sometimes.

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@lioness

@ellerbracke Hello and I have a suggestion have your husband make above ground planters for you . I didn't have this problem when I had my garden but have seen it done . Its a box with your dirt in and fertilizer mix. I have seen all kinds of vegies growing in it . Would save on your back. They call it raised garden I think ? Good luck

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@lioness Raised gardening is what my husband and I have done. Many of the home improvement stores have a “kit” for raised beds. We also use beautiful lightweight extra large pots. Instead of filling them solely with soil, packing peanuts — those styrofoam shapes that protect items during shipping — or water bottles in the bottom of the pot before soil and plants are added. I grow some tasty cherry tomatoes on my patio this way. Having fibromyalgia and chronic spine pain I find sitting on a low step stool while working with my plants helps.

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