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: 
   

Healthy Hands Are the Gardener's Best Tools

Here are the major reasons why one should consider getting a pair of trusty gardening gloves:

Gloves protect your hands from blisters, thorns and cuts while doing rough work like digging or pruning in the garden. Investing in one or more pairs of quality gloves is a good decision if you intend to garden on any scale.

A couple of my favorite pairs.

Here are some tips on how to choose the pair that will suit you best:  

1. Look for quality leather gloves with a cloth back; this will let the gloves breathe and keep your hands dry, cool and comfortable.

2. If mud bothers you, select rubber gloves with cotton lining.

3. When spraying pesticides or chemicals (which hopefully you're NOT doing!) choose gloves that are made from neoprene. Gloves made from latex or any type of plastic may not offer the best protection.

4. When pruning roses, use gloves that reach up to the arms.

5. If you usually operate large garden machinery, buy gloves in brown instead of red as the latter may dye your hands.

6. Light cotton or even fingerless gloves may be useful for transplanting seedlings. They will allow more dexterity and so help to prevent the tiny roots from being crushed.

7. And of course, make sure that the gloves you buy actually fit your hands. If you have small hands, try the children's gardening section. there's nothing worse than trying to garden is gloves that are too big.

Your gloves must be comfortable as well as give protection to best serve your gardening needs.

Gardening Gloves: