To Glove or Not To Glove

I was reminded the other day about a popular question among gardeners. Do you wear gloves? Many gardeners like to get their hands in the dirt and its part of the fun of it all. While others take pride in the type of glove that is their favorite and they wouldn't garden without them.

I personally am a glove wearer. I have a type for every application and I wear them until they fall apart. Here's my take on gloves:

Leather Gloves

Rose pruning, thorny branches and heavy work where a good grip is important. I keep a pair in my car to carry cinder blocks and building materials home. I never fail to have an occasion when they've been important to have around. My hands aren't always the strongest and the leather gloves give me that extra help I need with grip also. Oh, and I will take my chances dealing with a snake with these also.

Latex Coated Gloves

Pulling weeds is the main reason I love these gloves. Getting a more form fitting glove such as these helps with accuracy in getting the weeds next to plants without grabbing part of the desired plant with it. I feel like I have surgical precision when using this type of glove. The added rubber grip allows me to pull weeds with much less effort and keeps my hands from getting as tired.

Cotton Garden Glove

Good for all purpose gardening applications. I plant flowers and pick vegetables using these. They provide the needed protection  from insects I need. Organic gardening can leave you with spiders, wasps and bees hidden in garden beds. They are there to help and its hard to see them sometimes. Having on a pair of gloves helps me to reach in with a bit more confidence that I'm not going to get bitten or stung. They wash up easily and are extremely comfortable to wear.

Jersey Work Gloves

I use these for a wide variety of applications. I carry buckets, pick up boards and deal with animals using these. I like the band that fits snug around my wrist with these. If I place my hand in something with fire ants in it, I stand a chance of knocking them off before they crawl inside my gloves to sting me. I buy these gloves in bulk because I go through at least one pair a day. I often have to change them out a couple of times in a day if I get them too muddy or nasty. They wash up beautifully and are ready for the next time I need them.

I have a bag that I keep my gloves in ready to go. I like this because if I wear one glove out I can easily pair it with another and not miss a beat. Each type of glove has its place in my daily gardening chores. I'm also thankful when my husband compliments my hands and can't tell that I work outside each day with them. No calluses here and I can thank my gloves for that.