Choosing Proper Gardening Gloves

Your first contact with the garden are your hands, unless of course you have invested wisely in garden tools, but even with tools there is no getting around the fact that you are going to need to get your hands dirty, and along with that you can expect the scratches, cuts and bruises that are inevitable.

You should consider investing in some good garden gloves to protect your hands against damage.

There are several different types of garden gloves on the market and they all have their benefits and downsides.

The cheapest of these gloves are the cotton work type gloves that are comfortable but not quite as durable as other gloves.

They will wear out faster than the more expensive gloves and can become heavy when wet, which can make your hands quite cold in the colder weather. They also don't offer much protection against thorns and other sharp objects that you might encounter.

Alternatives to these are a combination of cotton/canvas and leather, as the leather portion of the glove will offer more protection against cuts, and can be more durable. These gloves can still get water logged and have a limited lifespan. Since they have leather portions, you should try not to let them get too wet or they will get very hard and stiff when dried. But if kept reasonably dry, the better ones can last quite a long time.

The composite spandex/lycra gloves that are available can be a better option as they will last longer and they won't get water logged like the cotton gloves. They are also very comfortable to wear, but might not provide as much protection as they aren't very rugged.

If you are working in wet conditions a lot of the time you may want to consider getting some rubber gloves. Rubber gloves will ensure that your hands stay dry all the time.

And, if you work with roses quite often there are gloves that cover your hands arms right up to your elbow. These will allow you to work in comfort and safety while protecting your skin against damage.

And finally there are many people who don't like wearing gloves at all but need some form of protection. For these, there is an interesting option called spray-on gloves. These are a silicon spray that will seal your hands from grime and possible infection and will make cleaning your hands after you have finished gardening a breeze. While these 'gloves' won't offer you any protection from scratches and cuts, they will help to keep your hands clean and that is a bonus.

Gardening Gloves: