A whole range of awesome tools have been created to make gardening easier! There’s no need to stop gardening because of a sore back, stiff knees, arthritic fingers, or an argumentative hip. These ergonomic gardening tools open up the doors and make gardening easier, more productive, and better for your body.
The great thing about the Age of Invention is that there are so many more tools that have been created to allow us to do things beyond our wildest dreams. And that means great things for gardeners who have previously had to limit their beloved hobby because of physical limitations.
I began gardening many moons ago as a form of recovery after being diagnosed with a rehabilitating disability. What started as five minutes a day grew into a lifelong passion and career.
As I’ve gotten older, my body has continued to have its limitations. While I’ve adapted heavily to my disability, I still want to get out there and garden on most days.
Having the right ergonomic gardening tools can make a world of a difference, whether it’s preventing you from bending and kneeling or keeping the strain on your hands to a minimum.
I’ve gathered a list of some useful gardening tools for disabled and elderly gardeners or for anyone who wants to make gardening easier on your body.
If you have been held back from your beloved hobby, it’s time to get back out in the garden, my friends! Check out these ergonomic gardening tools that will make gardening a breeze (again).
NRG Transplanter and Trowel
The Natural Radius Grip Transplanter and Trowel have ergonomically designed curved handles specifically intended to make gripping the tool easier on those with carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis. The latex-free material of the handle is soft and comfortable to hold, and the blade is very light, making transplanting and minor digging jobs a breeze.
NRG Cultivator
Like the Transplanter, the Natural Radius Grip Cultivator has a curved, easy-grip handle that is designed to be comfortable for those with arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. It is lightweight and features long, angled tines that make it easy to loosen soil.
TomCare Garden Kneeler Seat
This garden kneeler is great because you can use it either as a small portable seat or as a garden kneeler with handles to help you get back up. It also comes with pouches to hold your gardening tools so you don’t misplace them while puttering away.
I like this kneeling pad because it’s much thicker than the standard foam ones and won’t compress over time. It makes kneeling down to tend to your garden much easier on the knees and is light and easy to carry around as you manoeuvre throughout your garden.
A.M. Leonard Cape Cod Weeder with Extended Handle
Lightweight and easy to use, the Cape Cod Weeder can be used with the blade flat to cut weeds above the soil or turn the blade on its side and use the point to loosen soil and extract weeds from the ground. The long handle and narrow tip make for easy access to weeds in hard-to-reach places, even from a seated position.
Fiskars Long-Handle Grass Shears with Swivel Head
If kneeling, bending, and crouching cause you pain, you can still comfortably trim edges with these Long-Handle Grass Shears. The 36-inch handle means that you can use the shears from an upright position, and the swivelling head is perfect for edging and maneuvering into those impossible-to-mow places. The handle is made of lightweight aluminum and has an ergonomically designed grip, so it is easy to hold and carry as you complete your tasks.
Craftsman Cordless Electric Pruning Shears
If you have to do lots of pruning or are trying to cut through thick branches, you know how difficult that can be on the hand and arm. Electric pruners allow you to cut easily without having to use much (wo)manpower. The Craftsman Cordless Electric Pruner allows you to cut 1 ¼” and provides up to 900 cuts per charge.
DeWit Drop Grip Hand Plow
The Drop Grip Hand Plow is designed specifically to make it easy and comfortable to plow furrows into the soil from a kneeler seat or to work in raised beds from a seated position. The handle features a thick bulb at the end so that you can easily grip and maneuver the plow.
Zozen Nut Gatherer
This is just such a cool tool that could really help the right person. If you have a walnut, pecan, chestnut, hickory, or other nut tree, you can use this gatherer to easily scoop up the nuts from the ground without needing to bend over.
DonSail Fruit Picker
Just like the nut gatherer, this specialty fruit picker is ideal for harvesting upwards. Rather than climb a ladder or try to reach further than reasonable, this adjustable pole with a basket attached helps you to pluck fruit from the tree. It can reach up to 20 ft.
DeWit Drop Grip 3-Tine Cultivator
If back pain or other health issues restrict you to gardening from a seated position, the Drop Grip 3-Tine Cultivator is a good choice for you. It is designed to be comfortable and easy to use in a garden or raised bed while sitting, and its handle is easy to grip and maneuver. Use it to loosen and aerate soil painlessly.
DeWit Drop Grip Daisy Grubber
Another powerhouse for seated gardening, the Drop Grip Daisy Grubber has a long wooden handle with a forked metal end for removing weeds. Simply position a weed in between the tines of the Grubber, grip the handle with both hands, and pry out the weed, roots and all. Weeds don’t stand a chance, even while you’re sitting.
DeWit Drop Grip Trowel
A typical garden trowel only has a short handle, making it difficult to use from a seated position, but the Drop Grip Trowel’s handle is two feet long, so you can use it easily while seated, which means no bending or crouching. This trowel is also lightweight and has an ergonomically designed easy-grip handle, and the blade is sharp to slice through soil and debris easily.
Gilmour heavy-duty thumb control
Watering is a given when it comes to taking care of the garden, and garden nozzles are a must for getting the job done evenly and quickly. That being said, it can be difficult for those with arthritis to hold down the pressure control. Having a nozzle with thumb control allows you to control the water without straining your fingers.
Self Watering Planters
For your container plants, you can reduce your need to water altogether with the right container choice. Self-watering planters make taking care of plants much easier and allow you to go away for extended periods of time without worrying about your plants.
I’ve made my own planters using two similar-sized gardening pots. I also have a few larger self-watering planters from Vego gardening that I really love and use to grow some of my veggies. You can use my code GARDEN_THERAPY5% to get 5% off the EZ Self-Watering Tomato Planter.
DeWit Drop Grip Mini Garden Rake
This Mini Garden Rake is easy to grip and use from a seated position, plus it is lightweight and ergonomically designed. The small rake head fits easily into hard-to-reach areas. Use it to rake and aerate soil in gardens and raised beds from a seated position.
A.M. Leonard Garden Scoot and TubTrug Combo
Speaking of seated gardening, you may want to invest in a wheeled garden seat that you can easily pull through the garden as you move to different areas to work. The Garden Scoot features a comfortable seat and easy-to-pull handle to make getting around simple, and a convenient tub to keep your gardening tools right at your fingertips as you garden. Seated gardening is easier on your back and can make gardening accessible to those with various health issues.
Raised Gardening Bed
Instead of you having to go down, why not raise everything up? Raised gardens are wonderful for accessibility, and I’ve been relying on them for years to make gardening easier on my body (check out this four-tiered planter I made in my old garden).
In my new garden, I’ve been using the Vego Modern Metal Raised Garden Beds to host my vegetable plants. You can use my code GARDEN_THERAPY5%OFF to get 5% off your entire order (it’s a stackable code too!).
Auger Drill Bit
I rely heavily on an auger drill bit to help with planting. Attach this bit to your electric drill, and it will help you instantly dig a small hole in any kind of soil. I use mine TONS while planting bulbs, but it can also help for planting your seed starts and annuals. It really helps to prevent wrist strain and fatigue.
