Vol. 6, No. 2 March/April 1998	Previous Issues Subscribe to AT Messenger Download PDF Viewer
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Spring Beckons--Time to Garden

Homemade Enabling Tools | Books and Other Resources

Individuals with disabilities are joining other enthusiastic people in exploring the natural and health benefits of gardening throughout the year. Everyone can enjoy gardening thanks to the assistive technologies now widely available. Bertine Loop, a Master Gardener from Nebraska, offers the following tips to enhance your gardening experience.

The Growing Environment: No matter where or what or how much you plant in your garden, you'll need to know whether plants grow in Delaware, have good soil ready, and be ready to get involved. For example, how much sun will be needed? How much sun comes into my garden and when? Consider soil mixes recommended for your site and situation.

The Right Plant For The Right Place: Seeds for annual and perennial plants are available through stores and catalogs. Use pellet (coated) seeds, seed tapes, or place the seeds you've chosen in an old large plastic seasoning container and shake to plant. You can purchase special seeders (such as sow easy seed sowers) or you can use PVC-pipe and a funnel to drop large seeds in the furrow. The same system can be used to fertilize vegetables and flowers that need little care other than watering and weeding.

Use seeds mixed or rolled in sand to spread seeds out in the furrow. Use mulch to prevent diseases and to hold the soil moisture.

Raised beds or containers can be designed to be 18, 24, or 30 inches, or any customized height that provides you with comfortable accessibility. In general, containers and raised beds take more water because the soil warms up and freezes faster, so choose plants that are resistant to drought and dry conditions.

Vertical growing trellises are another idea and are especially good for peas, beans, and corn.

Tools 'n You: Tools can be adapted, made by you, or ordered through catalogs. Remember to make sure the tool "fits" you. The right tool will prevent fatigue, minimize the possibility of injury, and most important, help to make gardening a positive experience for you. Buy or use baseball tape for easier gripping, reaching, lifting, and to make your tools more visible. If you stand while gardening, use longer handled tools to prevent damage to your back and spine. Hold everything close to your body and use a backpack or gardening apron to transport gardening supplies around the garden. If you kneel, use a kneeler with handles to help you get up and down.

You and a Garden Plan: You and a plan are the cornerstones of your garden. You can grow watermelons in a basket and geraniums in a box. If you need help with a plan, contact community garden centers or your Cooperative Extension office. Network with other gardeners and use the resources available in your area.

Resources: Gardeners can contact the Delaware Cooperation Extension Service, which has county offices across the state. Their Master Gardeners and Horticulturists are available to talk about garden problems. They can provide advice and written materials. See below for additional ideas.

Enjoy the home gardening experience!

This article was based on from Life Begins When You Start to Garden by Bertine Loop, originally published in Bright Ideas. Content has been reproduced here with permission from the Nebraska AT Project.

Homemade Enabling Tools

Kneeling Pad: Wrap a single sheet of foam rubber about 8 & 1/2" wide, 16" long and 1 & 1/2" thick, in a plastic bag and seal the bag with water resistant tape. Old pillows or cushions may also be used if they are small enough.

No-Bend Seeder: Cut a piece of PVC pipe either 3', 4' or 5' - whatever length is comfortable. Place one end where the seed should fall and drop in a seed. The seed may be dropped through a funnel attached to the PVC pipe. Useful for planting large seeds.

Padded Plant Stakes: Cut off the foot of stockings, nylons or tights just below the heel and stuff it tightly with cut up pieces from the remainder of the stocking. Place it on the end of stakes, making sure you cannot feel the stake through the padding, tie or tape it securely to the stake. The padding decreases the likelihood of injury if someone should fall on a stake.

Planting Board: Cut a board, 4' long by 4" wide by 1" thick. Bevel one side to use in making furrows. Cut deep notches every 6" to aid visually impaired people in spacing seeds and transplants.

Plant Spacers: To aid in spacing seeds and transplants, cut a piece of 1" by 1" wood into varying lengths, i.e. 6" and 12", to use as plant spacers when planting.

Padded Tool Handles: Insert tool handles into foam rubber pipe insulation tubes. Glue foam rubber onto handles. Place crutch handle grips on small tool handles. These methods will increase gripping ability and protect sensitive hands.

Kneeling Pads: Cut two 5" by 5" pads from 1 & 1/2" thick foam rubber. Sew denim around-like a pillow. Attach velcro to each pad and to an old pair of garden jeans or pants. Attach pads to your knees with the velcro when needed.

Homemade Pellet Seed: Pick up tiny seeds with the pad of the index finger and roll it into a tiny piece of toilet paper to enlarge the seed making it easier to see and handle. The toilet paper will dissolve after the seed is planted.

Knotted Garden Line Spacer: Using nylon rope or clothesline, make a knot every 2-4" along the line. With stakes, securely place the knotted line along the row to aid visually impaired gardeners in spacing plants or seeds.

Wrist Splints: For persons who cannot grasp tools, attach small tools to the forearm and wrist with two or three long strips of velcro straps.

Information compiled by Kelly Lant, Extension Assistant-Horticulture. UNL Cooperative Extension-Platte Co. Source: Tools & Techniques for Easier Gardening, Ocone & Thabault, the National Gardening Association. Permission to reproduce by Cooperative Extension Service of Nebraska, UNL.

Books and Other Resources

The Able Gardener: Overcoming Barriers of Age & Physical Limitations-A well-illustrated informative book that covers areas such as mail-order sources, indoor gardening and raised beds. The book includes dozens of suggestions for adapting tools, managing garden tasks and creating accessible yards. Available from: Storey Communications, Inc., 105 Schoolhouse Road, Pownal, VT 05261 or call (802) 823-5811. Price: $27.95

The Enabling Garden: Creating Barrier Free Gardens-This book provides information on the best tools and techniques to make gardening easier. It includes easy-to-follow diagrams for wheelchair-accessible raised beds and paths. Available from: Taylor Publishing Company, 1550 West Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, TX 75235 or call 800-947-0402. Price: $13.95

Outdoor Gardening for the Handicapped (Leaflet 51, 8 pages) Available from: Bulletin Room 82, P & A Building, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0311 or call (864) 656-3261. No charge.

Designing Barrier Free Nature Areas-Available from Cornell University, Instructional Materials Services, Ithaca, NY 14853 or call (607) 255-1837. Price: $3.00+$3.00 shipping/handling.

Accessible Gardening For People with Physical Disabilities: A Guide to Methods, Tools, and Plants-This book outlines gardening aspects-accessible paths and ramps, garden designs, tools, and plant selection. Includes a section on children's gardening. Available from: Woodbine House, Inc., 6510 Bells Mill Road, Bethesda, MD 20871 or call (800) 843-7323. Price: $16.95.

Able to Garden-This is a practical guide for elderly gardeners and those with disabilities. It has ideas for gardening in limited spaces and includes container gardening and tool selection. http://www.barnesandnoble.com. ISBN #0713461373, publisher Trafalgar Square. Price: $22.95.

Backyards and Butterflies, Ways to Include Children with Disabilities in Outdoor Activities-This book contains ideas on gardening, including building an accessible planting table and making raised beds. Available from: Brookline Books (800) 666-2665. Price: $14.95

Center for Universal Design, School of Design (includes housing and gardening), North Carolina State University, Box 8613, Raleigh, NC 27695-8613, (919) 515-3082 Voice or TDD.