Gear Up for Spring

There's more than fashion in these great-looking threads. Check out this editor's favorite picks for working in the garden.

It's time to get ready for glorious days outdoors. When digging out your tools and prepping beds, you need to dress with an eye toward health. It makes good sense for years of gardening enjoyment.

More Than a Manicure

You can't have too many pairs of gloves. Consider the tasks you do in the garden. Occasionally, resistance to moisture is important. At other times, handling seeds and delicate jobs requires a lightweight pair. Remember this: Wearing gloves has little to do with your manicure. They mainly serve to protect you from insect bites and contact with fertilizer or chemicals, soil-borne irritants, and infections.

Protect Your Skin

When choosing garden duds, long sleeves and a straw hat aren't enough. Instead, look for the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF). It measures a fabric's effectiveness on shielding skin from damage. A UPF rating of 50 offers a 97.5% filter to your body. We like this hat and shirt from SunGrubbies (www.sungrubbies.com or 1-888-970-1600).

Love Your Knees

Give your knees a break. Pants with removable pads change the world-especially when the cushions are designed with billowy air pockets and are "hinged" so they bend with you. One time down on the ground in these will make you a believer. Try this pair from Duluth Trading Co. (www.duluthtrading.com or 1-800-505-8888).

Step Wisely

Comfortable footwear helps define the difference between gardening pleasure and pure torture. Find the best boots or clogs to suit your needs. Ours are from Smith & Hawken (www.smithandhawken.com or 1-800-940-1170). Be sure clogs fit snugly enough to stay on your feet; a loose-fitting selection can cause a fall. -ELLEN RUOFF RILEY

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Feb 2008
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