Do you wear gloves when working in the garden?

[sylvie]

I use latex gloves, buy a big box and throw away when they start to shred. We have a bumper crop of slugs which I find in all sizes. Gloves help. I won't wear crocks because the slugs get in through the holes as I walk through the grass to get to the garden.
If it's been dry for a few days, no gloves. I like connecting with the soil, but also OC hand washer so I guess I'm conflicted.

I don't hear of many, if any, Black Widows here. I was surprised to read where you are finding them; I thought they preferred dark corners of sheds and garages! Same for Brown Recluses.

I found a nest of baby snakes in a hill of potatoes; nasty striking snakes. I ran in to get a book to ID them but they were gone in the 10 minutes it took. They were not poisonous. I found them when I stuck my hand in the hill to pull out a couple small potatoes for dinner without disturbing the plant. Won't do that again!

I'd give those Atlas gloves a try. I heard Lowes had gloves on sale last winter that sound like them.

 

[me&thegals]

Wow--I guess Wisconsin gardening is pretty dull!

I don't wear gloves for anything--not bee keeping, not gardening, not berry picking. Of course, my hands look like an auto mechanics, I have to cut my nails to the quick to keep them mildly presentable, and my body looks like it has been through a war! Ahhh.... the joys of summer....

 

[Aidenbaby]

I quite often forget to wear gloves or flat out just don't know where they are. When I do find them and use them, I like to put on GOBS of lotion with them so as to kill two birds with one stone so to speak. I wash them, as well, as mine are the cotton/poly knit with rubber soles and fingers.

 

[Beekissed]

I have a good set of gloves like the Atlas-type but a cheaper brand. I have good intentions, especially when hand-applying composted manure....but then I take them off to do something, lay them down, forget to put them back on and then my hands are already messed. So, I roll my eyes and vow I will use them next time.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I forget my gloves in the garden, so when I go back out the next day to resume working, I hesitate to put my fingers back in those gloves....never know what crawled into them in the night! So....gloves to the washing machine...and the cycle is repeated.

They say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.....

My cuticles are a mess and my fingers stain black during the garden season from suckering tomatoes.

I don't care! Pretty hands are for models and useless women.....not us real gals!

 

[SKR8PN]

I work my garden bare footed, why would I wear gloves?

 

[big brown horse]

I work my garden bare footed, why would I wear gloves?

 

[reinbeau]

Because you risk cutting your foot out there, and ending up with blood poisoning and a year of sickness like a good gardening friend of mine did. I wear shoes out there, or at least sandals, and never dig without real shoes on. And Bee, it would be hard to find gloves cheaper than $5.99, the Atlas gloves are not expensive at all. The only thing cheaper I can think of are throw-aways.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I get three packs of the cotton w/ rubber finger type gloves for $10. I'm sure they aren't as nice as the Atlas gloves, but considering how quickly I shred my gloves up, they are probably a better bet for me.

 

[Dace]

Like so many others I don't often wear gloves...I just haven't found any comfy ones, guess I'll be looking for atlas brand.

I do wear flip flops unless I am using a pick or shovel...then full blown foot protection is in order

 

[punkin]

I suppose it depends on what I'm doing. Just planting or picking - no. Not unless it's strawberries where we have black widows. We have so many black widows, I've learned to never stick my fingers where I can't see. All of our black widows are in hot and dry places. Like under rocks in the fields, my planting pots or even under a fence post I picked up a couple of weeks ago.

If I'm hoeing, raking or using other tools, then yes to cut down on blisters.