Gardening is a popular pastime of people from all ages, genders, and walks of life, and the best part is you can get into it without any previous experience.
Whether you garden to relax or enjoy the satisfaction of growing wondrous things from scratch and getting your hands dirty, there’s no doubt it offers a lot of benefits.
To ensure you’re getting the best of gardening through, you need to have the right gear, and we’re not just talking about shovels and fertilizer mixes.
A savvy gardener is dressed head to toe in an outfit that allows them to work effectively, keeps them comfortable through long hours of labor, and protects them from the lurking dangers of working outdoors.
What are the essential gardening clothes one needs to get the job done?
A good gardener knows the worth of being properly dressed for the job which includes full coverage on your hands, feet, and head.
You should be equipped with a hat, jacket, gloves, boots, and pants at the very least whenever you plan on gardening to protect you from the risks that come with this pastime.
If you’ve been meaning to update your gardening attire or are new to the hobby and want to make sure you’re equipped, we’ve got the list for you.
This guide will show you exactly what’s needed, why it’s needed, and how the right clothing choices can save you from potential problems when you’re enjoying a spot of gardening.
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Common Gardening Injuries
Although it has a reputation for being a peaceful hobby, gardening can also be rife with injuries when not done right.
Being dressed for the task is the easiest way to prevent these injuries, as well as experience and knowing what’s safe and what isn’t.
These are some of the common gardening injuries that come with the job, and those that gardening clothes can prevent.
Cuts, bruises, and wounds
The garden lurks with many things just waiting to cut you and if you’re not careful, you’ll come out looking bloodier than when you began.
Garden cuts can come from wire fencing, thorns, prickles, gardening shears, sharp parts of plants, and more.
You can get bruised from injuries or develop blisters from too much friction against a tool or device.
Sunburn
Gardening is best enjoyed in the sunlight but if you go out when it’s too bright, you’ll most likely get a sunburn.
Many avid gardeners stick to the early hours or the late ones but it’s not always possible to do.
Without the right protection, you can develop serious sunburn and maybe even heatstroke.
Dehydration
There’s a lot of physical activity required with gardening, even if it seems relaxing.
People often mistake these long hours of pottering around with minimal work and forget to keep their hydration up by drinking water.
This, coupled with the no protection from the sun, and you’re asking for dehydration to get you.
Insect bites
Getting back to nature is great but there are lots of insects and creepy crawlies to be found when you start digging in the garden.
Although some are minor, these are more serious bites that can do you harm, including spider bites, so keeping your hands protected is key.
Chemical burns
Many gardening products are unsafe to use with bare hands and need to be handled correctly.
Some plants can also cause burns, so you need to wear gloves at all times when you’re handling things like pesticides and fertilizers, and products like pesticides and fertilizers.
Bacteria and fungi
Some unseen things in the garden can cause harm, like bacteria found in potting soil, fertilizers, and the natural earth. It’s always recommended to wear gloves for this reason, and possibly even a mask depending on what you’re up to.
How Proper Clothing Can Help
Before stepping out into the garden, you need to make sure you’re covered head to toe with the right gear.
This doesn’t mean purchasing expensive items or even garden specific brands, but just smart and sensible clothing that does the job.
With the right clothing choices, you’ll be able to keep your skin protected from the sun, enclose hands and wrists in a durable cover to keep chemicals and sharp objects at bay and protect your entire body from anything waiting in the garden.
More importantly though, with the right gardening clothes, you’ll be comfortable.
This means being able to bend down, squat, and even sit right in the dirt for hours on end without feeling any discomfort, which is half the fun of gardening.
The Ultimate Gardening Attire List
Before you propel yourself into your new favorite, it’s good for beginners to check off a list of basic gardening attire.
During your years as a gardener, you’ll probably find the need to upgrade certain items or find more comfortable or suitable features, but these are the essentials you’ll want to begin with.
Hat
A wide-brimmed hat is essential as it needs to protect your face, neck, and chest from the sun.
Spending more than 20 minutes out in the sun can lead to skin damage and most gardeners are out there for a lot longer.
Choosing a hat that’s a firm fit and with a cord that keeps it attached even if it comes off is ideal for gardening.
Jacket
A good gardening jacket serves two purposes.
Firstly, it’s another way to keep your skin protected from UV rays by covering the upper half of your body.
Secondly, it can protect your arms, back, shoulders, and abdomen from dangers in the garden like bug bites or thorny rose bushes.
Depending on the temperature where you live, this could be as lightweight or heavy-duty as you want.
Pants
A pair of long pants is a smart choice in gardening clothes and it offers the same benefits as a durable jacket.
However, the pants you choose should be slightly loose to allow you freedom of movement and since you plan on getting them dirty, there’s no need for anything fancy.
Gloves
Gardening gloves come in all shapes and sizes, and these days you can choose anything from an elbow-length goatskin glove to a wrist cuff bamboo one.
Consider where you’re gardening and what you’ll be gardening to figure out which is best, and may invest in two pairs if you want total coverage.
Boots
A solid pair of gardening boots are a great investment, and if you can afford a pair of steel cap boots, even better.
For simpler gardening duties, you can even wear rubber shoes like clogs, as long as your feet are covered.
Whatever you choose, your feet need to be supported and ready to stand in all kinds of terrain like mud, dirt, weeds, bushes, and prickles for hours on end.
A supportive sole is also crucial since you’ll be standing or squatting for long periods.
Dressed to Impress in the Garden
There’s nothing high fashion about most gardening outfits, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t packed full of benefits.
Even if you don’t feel like the most gorgeous specimen with your steel cap boots and oversize jacket on, you’ll be ready for action and prepared to garden in comfort and safety.
Gardening can be a relaxing and satisfying pastime but not when you’re riddled with prickles and have blistering skin from the sun, which the right clothing can prevent.
Just a few key items that you can source from your own wardrobe and a pair of durable gloves and shoes, and you’re ready to take on whatever lurks beneath the garden bed.
Related Questions
Gardening is a hobby that offers so many benefits, but just like anything else in life, preparation is key.
To ensure you’re getting only the good stuff from your favorite pastime, you need a collection of gardening attire that will keep you protected and comfortable.
Check out the answers to these FAQs about gardening clothes to point you in the right direction.
The traditional attire for gardening used to be a pair of overalls and while there’s nothing wrong with wearing them today, you might want to find something more suitable.
Overalls have the benefit of more pockets for your tools and full-length protection, so if you have a pair that feels comfortable, they’re a great choice for gardening.
There are a lot of benefits for the individual who takes up gardening as a hobby so it’s not just beneficial for your yard.
Getting into the garden can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, give you a physical workout, increase your quality of life, raise vitamin D levels, and give you a sense of satisfaction when the job is done.
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