Gloves off

[piskieinboots]

Are you a glove wearer or do you go bare in the soil?

I really do struggle with wearing gloves and I have tried so many types but just prefer the soil in my hands. And then when I see Carol Klein on GW, her hands are as minging as mine, so I don't feel quite so silly.

[HeyWayne]

Depends really - if I'm doing "heavy work" then it's gloves on. If I'm weeding/hoeing/planting then I'm nekkid.

[zazen999]

Gloves on.

I used to test soil and know what's in there.

I waged a one-woman campaign during the late 80s/early 90s to get my employer to buy us latex gloves and we would be grudgingly given a box that had to last months. We would lovingly treat them with great care and wash them up each night and talc them for work the next day.

One day we got a load of samples from Sarf Londin.....and as we extruded the soil out a yellow almond smelling liquid was oozing out. At this point we were low on the gloves and nobody wanted to touch it.

We got it tested and yes, cyanide. Nice.

At this point I managed to persuade them that having gloves might prevent a lawsuit.


Ergo, gloves became the new 'in-thing'.

I loves breaking up the soil with my hands, but my 14 years in soils just takes over.....

[lainey lou]

I like going glove free but I'm always aware that my hands need to look clean (as well as be clean) for work. I'm sure if I approached a patient to change dressings with soil stained hands they would be horrified!

[shirlthegirl43]

Due to all the brambles, nettles and cat poop I wear gloves for most garden jobs. For potting up seedlings and prepping for seed sowing I go gloveless as I love the feeling of the MPC mixed with vermiculite and perlite.

[Incy]

I use gloves for weeding due to the brambles and nettles but otherwise it's gloves off for me.

[Pumpkin Becki]

I've got so many pairs of gardening gloves, but they drive me mad after a while, or I take them off to do something delicate like seed sewing and forget to put them back on. So basically, I start with the best of intentions, but it doesn't last long.

[BumbleB]

Same for me. I have plastic gloves in the GH and often put these on when working in there. But for general work in the garden more often than not the gloves are not on. I try to remember to wear for heavy pruning as I blister so easily!

[di]

I've got so many pairs of gardening gloves, but they drive me mad after a while, or I take them off to do something delicate like seed sewing and forget to put them back on. So basically, I start with the best of intentions, but it doesn't last long.

Other than not having lots of pairs...snap!
I really struggle to weed with gloves on,if there's a huge thistle or stinger I'll leave it & go back with either gloves or a fork...if you can loosen them enough the roots don't hurt!
Heavy digging I wear gloves or else I get nasty callouses.
Just hate handing over lovingly prepared homemade goodies to folk with grub stained thumbs...it's always the thumbs I can't get clean.

[Nicos]

Nekkid or very thin cotton gloves if it's getting particularly nippy.
And yup....my hands/nails are dreadful

[piskieinboots]

And yup....my hands/nails are dreadful

me too - when a client calls for a face-to-face meeting before looking at my calendar I look at my nails

[Nicos]

I took a piccie of a lovely butterfly which came and sat on my hand- I just happened to have the camera next to me....but had to delete it cos I was so ashamed of the state of my hands

[piskieinboots]

noooo - we could have photoshop'd you

[kirsty b]

I like going glove free but I'm always aware that my hands need to look clean (as well as be clean) for work. I'm sure if I approached a patient to change dressings with soil stained hands they would be horrified!

Same reason I wear gloves too. Lots of hand scrubbing before work if I've had a day down the plot getting mucky.

[SueA]

I don't usually wear gloves but I do if I'm doing something like pruning something very prickly or clipping a hedge where I might end up with blisters from the shears if I don't. I have been known to go shopping & try to hide my nails when paying when I suddenly notice the muck ingrained around them!