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Accessible Gardening

Help with elderly gardening

last year

I've recently moved to a smaller house and need ideas for gardening. I've previously had large flower gardens, but am not capable of maintaining those now. Any ideas for simple things I can do in my back yard? It's mostly shade except for the corner farthest away from the house.

I have some planters on the patio (also mostly shade) but would like to grow some of the flowers that love sun. There are no beds in that corner now and I can't do one by myself. I can't afford to have someone do the work for me. Any ideas for container gardening or something easy to accomplish in the sunny corner?

Comments (4)

catherinet (5IN)
last year
How big is that area in the sun? Are you wanting all containers? Or could you have a perennial in the ground that comes back every year, and doesn't require as much watering as a container plant. For shade, I really love all the different kinds of hostas. I've never grown any in containers though. They are great for keeping out weeds.
intwilight z6a KS
last year
In the sunny corner, how about planting things that don't need a flower bed? Sunflowers, hollyhocks? My grandparents always had hollyhocks planted along the side of the farm outbuildings.

Native plants to your area could also need less ground prep to get started (no bed). I am doing that in an awkward area in my yard (planted a native hyssop, a butterfly milkweed, a couple coneflowers).
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Hi Carolyn, Yes, I'm not too far from you. I can probably bring you some stuff. Please let us know are if you're doing container, small space, wheelchair accessible, etc?
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[[[...I got quickly and curtly shut-down and disappointed....]]] If you go through life expecting other people to do heavy labor for you for free, you are going to go through life being disappointed often. You might try calling some churches and see if they have volunteers that help the elderly. Other than that, if you and your friends are not capable of rototilling and you can't find anyone to do it for free (and all the money out of their own pocket to drive over, gas for the rototiller, service and sharpening for the rototiller, and their time), then figure out how to garden without rototilling. Lots of successful gardeners are growing veggies "no till". There is a forum right here on Garden Web that is devoted to elderly and less-abled gardeners. If you click on "enabling" you will find it. It is full of excellent advice. It is very kind of you to volunteer and help that elderly couple. You are certainly racking up good karma points. But, while you get to give away your own time, you do not get to give away other people's time. Your correct response would have been "Thank you. I thought it was worth my time to ask, and now I know." Instead of getting all indignant that they declined to do free work for you.
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Need advice for container garden for elderly woman
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Hi Sharondkr. So happy to have stumbled across your question. Here are some of my favorite "accessible gardening" must haves: 1. Lightweight containers such as "Smart Pots" which come in sizes ranging from small 5 gallon bags to huge, 45-gallon pots. There are lightweight resin, fiberglass and plastic containers as well. I like that they have handles so you can lift and move them around. In the photo above, I'm planting garlic in these fabric bags. 2. "Gardening tables"- these elevated tables have deep sides so you can plant in them without bending over. They also have enough clearance under them in case you use a wheelchair so you can do some "chair gardening!" 3. Place any of your containers on a glass or metal table to minimize bending over. 4. Casters or plant dollies for your plants make moving them around as easy as a gentle push! I'm a huge fan of portable gardens. Here's a blog post I wrote about "portable" garden containers. 5. Potting Soil can be "reinvigorated" by topping off with a few inches of compost so changing soil out is kept to a minimum or as a yearly chore. You don't really have to dispose of it, just refresh it with compost. I agree with @oldbat2be that placing old soil in a compost bin is a great idea. If you'd like to see some container garden design ideas, please visit my blog,EdenMakers or if you are growing food, my other blog isFoodieGardener! I wish you success in the garden. Shirley Bovshow
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Comments (9)
Hey, thanks so much for following up with me. That Foody looked real nice.I'd say it would be better for one person like Gram. In my research i have found about 12 or so of these tower gardens and compared them all. I went on Tower Gardens website and actually think i am going to go with that instead because at a more bang for your buck price point everything is included and ,it makes more sense to have a bigger yield so she can share it with the rest of the assisted living community which she enjoys. Also the Tower Garden is good for both indoor and outdoor and some of the others were for indoors primarily. This one comes on wheels to so it is easy for her to move around her apartment , onto the balcony, and this way she can even wheel it down to the rec room. opheonix, you mentioned using strawberry pots- just curious if you know anything about growing strawberries ? That and watermelon are on my list of things to try this spring as I am just a novice gardener. Any insight is greatly appreciated.
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einportlandor
last year
What is in the sunny corner now? Grass? Concrete? Bare dirt?

Right along with you, I have to be realistic about what my aging body can accomplish in the garden. I've accumulated a selection of large pots that can be left outdoors all year. In the sunny area they hold bamboo, nandinas and dwarf conifers that have been thriving for years. In smaller pots I plant seasonal annuals for color -- geraniums, bidens, dahlias, zinnias -- whatever strikes my eye. Ieep them fertiziled and deadheaded and they bloom for months. The hardest part is hauling bags of planting mix for the annuals each year. Is there someone who can help you do this? Also make sure you can easily water the potted plants. An alternative to plants is garden art or a comfortable chair in your sunny corner.

I think the hardest lesson we have to learn as we age is that less is more. A few colorful plants that you can nurture and bring you joy are better than a bunch of plants that feel like a burden. Don't try to do too much this summer and see how it goes. Enjoy your new home and garden.
catherinet (5IN)
last year
I'm learning that very thing now einportlandor. It's soooo hard to give up things we've done forever and enjoyed, but there comes a time when we have to realize that trying to keep everything going is counter-productive to happiness. Thanks for mentioning this. :)

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