Can I borrow your brains for storming?

[piskieinboots]

As you may know, I am studying RHS Horticulture and will be doing a bolt-on design course in March. My aim is to take these qualifications (should I get them!) and add them to my knowledge (thanks Dad) and start a garden business.

Last night, when I was unable to sleep, all I could focus on was my damaged back and thinking how the hell can you be a Gardener with a stuffed back - then I thought about the Paralympics and how they overcome obstacles.

So - here is where I need your brains for bashing ideas around please

Any thoughts on what I should be considering as obstacles that need overcoming - any positives that I can focus on ....please add 'em here:

Obstacle:
I can no longer carry 75litre bags of compost

Solution:
Decant it into what you can carry

I do appreciate your help

[BrideXIII]

well one of my oldest friends is a landscape gardener, and she has a bad back. it's never stopped her, she always says there is a way round anything, and flirting with delivery drivers can get a lot of heavy lifting done for her

[piskieinboots]

*adds flirting with drivers to business plan

[Two_Sheds]

I have a terrible back ... and neck, shoulder and left arm.

I can't lift much at all, nor can I do much work for long periods of time. I have to take lots of rest breaks.

I also drop things a lot (nerve damage) ... I broke a plate and a crystal glass this weekend.

I cope by having smaller tools (border spade not a big spade) and small bendy buckets not the big ones, so I don't overfill them.
I can't walk too far without pain, so I use my bike. I certainly can't carry much weight, so I have big deep panniers on my bike for all my stuff.

[bubblewrap]

For "carrying" large bags/sacks of compost/sand I use a sack truck I got it from B&Q for £10 the carrying forks fold flat & it is not too heavy.

[zazen999]

When you do become garden designer and builder extraodinaire - don't forget to hire in the odd labourer to do the hard work so that you don't have to. If you factor it into your costs, once you get going, it should be part of the job.

Not easy at the start obviously.

The best thing I EVER got was a decent kneeler - mainly because if I didn't have anything to push on when standing up again, I might be stuck there forever. I've suffered a bad back for my whole life and then had to add the injured elbow a few years back. Cheaper ones don't do it...you need something really strong to keep the shape.

[bubblewrap]

I think there is a law that says for any thing over 25kg you have to have help or a lifting device

[zazen999]

When buying large loads of wood or anything flat packed, once it is in the vehicle - undo the packaging inside said vehicle and transport the contents in smaller batches.

[BrideXIII]

I think there is a law that says for any thing over 25kg you have to have help or a lifting device

not sure, in our house there is a law that anything over 5kg the brats have to carry

[SueA]

If your bad back hinders digging just design everything with raised beds (whether your clients want them or not!).
Always try & keep your back warm & protected as well when working outside, no bending over showing your 'builder's bum', wear a long top & fleece/padded gilet to keep your lower back warm.
If in pain drink some brandy before going to work in the garden (also warms you up on days like today), but don't use any sharp tools after doing this or you may have more handicaps than when you started!

[Birdie Wife]

I find normal square spades a pain to use - they move a lot of earth but I've been using an american spade for years now and it's much better. the handle is longer so you get better leverage and the head is smaller and pointed, so you can't take as much soil - but that's good, because it means you can keep going for longer and you're not tempted to carry more soil than you can manage without back strain.

[Camsdad]

I think there is a law that says for any thing over 25kg you have to have help or a lifting device

Sorry, no such law. There are many risk assessments carried out where I work, and when heavy lifting is involved they always state to lift no more than you are capable of, obviously a big strong woman can lift more than a little man (how PC am I?) it is then up to the individual to either say they can or cannot lift the load, anything deemed too heavy must be moved using suitable lifting aids.

I think it depends on your generation, people of my age (about 23) are quite willing to heave and shift most things, whereas youngsters will move hell and high water to avoid doing it.

Camsdad

[BrideXIII]

a really good wheelbarrow, one that doesn't tip when you need to go round corners, so that you wont strain your back correcting it.

[Rhona]

Think you're right Bubblewrap - Manual Handling Regulations cover it all and not much wriggle room!

[piskieinboots]

you're all lovely peeps - all this is helping me to:
a) stay positive
b) overcome obstacles
c) develop my business model