Anyone here have Fibro? What kind of challenges do you have when gardening and how do you cope? I am working on new house place and my energy is poor. I sit awhile and work awhile. seems some days I sit more and others I handle better. I drag a chair around and hoe and rake from it. It takes days to accomplish what hubby can do in minutes but it is so rewarding when I plant an area and see results starting to show. I just thought if I heard someone else say, " I understand and here is what I do..." that it would encourage me. Today it was so humid here it felt like it was 100 degrees and I gave out fast.
Fibromyalgia and gardening
Scraps, I understand, I really do. A rolling stool has helped me a lot, as well as different length tools. Mostly I do as you do, pacing myself.
Scraps
Stick to early morn or early evening yardwork
Wear cotton /linen or any natural fiber clothing - no synthetics/polyester etc.
Wear white or light colors
Wear a light hat
Check the air quality ---if it is no good --- it is no good and you don't get to play on that day
Be well hydrated
Plan your meds if you are taking painkillers, plan for the meds to be optimum during the time you plan to be outside. LIMIT your time - whether you want to or not - plan for two hours of working or whatever is reasonable for your level of pain/fatigue and 'tipping point' and stick with the plan.
Crocs makes a great lightweight knee pad - you will hardly know you are wearing it.
It isn't a good idea to work in the garden and then rest the next day. You have to do something every day - for if possible 30 minutes straight (of course stopping when you need to - moderate intensity). I'd search for a community pool. It the minimum get in some planned timed stretching.
Sleep is important so if you have a bad night - I would consider not working in the garden the next day or working in the evening on hot days with an afternoon nap. You will be more prone to injury or to overworking if you are sleep deprived.
Also break up your work. So if you know you will be planting pots... the day before - get the soil, pots and plants gathered to one place --ready to go. If possible... have the hose near there and a rolling cart to pull the pots to where their final destination will be.
You can do anything you want --you just have to plan.
And you have to remain positive when a crappy day comes 'round -- you just lay low and pop back up to do your work on a better day. Use the crappy day to research your next project or read or plan that dream garden (although you have to plan your computer time too so that you don't sit in the same spot for hours.)
You can do anything you want - just have a plan.
Thanks so much for responding. I was having a poor me kind of moment when I wrote that post and I was beginning to think no one else ever hurt like that when planting flowers. I have bought me a rolling stool that is bright green with tractor seat that swivels and it helps alot, if the seat had a back on it it would be perfect. My back is worst problem. I sat on it and scooted back while raking and man could I go. I did not have to get up and drag chair every few feet. I really have not seen any rakes with shorter handles but that is good idea it might not be so heavy. maybe could get wooden handle and cut shorter. good idea. See you really helped me, Thanks. have a great day.
I found a light weight aluminum rake with an adjustable width at the hardware store for $10. I just love it. Feel free to dmail me whenever you need to vent, boy do I understand that! My doctor wrote me a prescription for one good cry a week, and he was serious, believes it is good for us. Try it! Gentle Hugs, Cathy4
Thanks missingrosie, it sounds like you know alot about fibro. You were right on all accounts. thanks for the advice. I tried water aerobics a few years back and loved it but the gym membership plus one hour trip to town was costing to much and with gas up now I really can not afford it. I am hoping that after we get house built I can at least get hot tub. Have a great day.
Thanks cathy you are too sweet !!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi scraps --- I have the same situation only it is PPS or Post Polio Syndrome. I found the perfect adjustable rake at Lowes It was $10 and it adjusts to length as well as to width. I also use the same cart as you only I have two of everything. One for the front and one for the back so I don't have to drag my tools back and forth. Also I had lap-band surgery and lost 130lbs and it is miraculous the things that I can now do. I do suffer with pain but I'm getting to know my limitations and when to STOP...Having health problems and being obese, for me, was pure agony and I was ready to give up but thanks to the suggestion of my cardiologist I now enjoy life...
Tplant I sent you dmail
I agree with pacing yourself. It is one of the hardest things to do, though. Once you get going it's hard to know when to stop. I learned the hard way when I fell and there was no one around to help me into the house. I drag a lightweight plastic chair to the area I will be working on and when I feel tired, lightheaded or whatever, I've already got the chair there and don't have to walk back across the yard.
I also keep my yard tools close to the area I will be in. I try to plan ahead and when I'm having a good day, I place everything I think I'll need for the next project in that area. That way, I'm not worn out from dragging it all before I ever even start work!
Not to worry, I think we all have those 'poor me' days but they pass pretty quickly & then we can press on.
Oh, I didn't answer your question. Yes, I have FMS.
libellule, I am sorry that you have this problem too. My husband bought me a golf cart and that helps so much. It takes alot of the strain off. If I need to haul a bucket of dirt, water, etc, across property. I was using wheel barrow to move dirt and that was tough on back. Thanks for ideas and for responding. Take care.
Oh man, I parked the wheel barrow a long time ago! When I want to move alot of stuff or heavy things, I borrow my folks' riding mower and the cart that hooks to it. Man, did that ever make a difference in what I could get done. I would love to have a golf cart or one of those Gators.
Hope you are all having a great day.
I wanted a gator or something with trailer but too exspensive.I got good deal on golf cart. It has been wonderful.
I've had Fibro since age 5 and have yet to be able to get myself to stop before I am exhausted far too often. Of course I pay for it later. But most of the time I can look at what I accomplished exhausting myself and feel so proud and happy.
I use our old riding mower and its trailer to haul some things too but still use our RubberMaid yard cart a lot. I also have a really nice wagon that I use often. I do have a bucket for my tools but don't always keep it with me. Most often it is in the breezeway so that I don't leave it out in the rain. I have a wonderful diggng tool that my DH made for me. The shovel/spade part is small so I can handle the amount of dirt I dig up with it. It also gets into small areas that a regular tool would damage. I have an adjustable rake too.
Hello leaflady, I sure hate to hear that their is someone else suffering but it is nice to meet you. I always thought I had arthiritis. But found out about 15 years ago it was fibro. I have had bronchitus for the last month almost and have not done any gardening. If I don't do too much pain is not bad but it is so frustrating to want to do something so bad and then start hurting the minute you start. I was having a poor me minute when I wrote the first post but I found out I am not the only one. Have a great day.
Scraps, you may have both arthritis and fibro. They commonly go hand in hand. I have both OA & RA as well as the fibro. But I refuse to be beaten all of the time.
Do you take pain meds and muscle relaxers on a regular basis? I take Gabapentin, Tramadol, Excedrin(generic of course), and sometimes resort to Percocet to control the pain. 3 times a day without fail and sometimes 4 times. Even if you don't hurt at that moment, if you don't take the meds you will. So I've learned to just take it & control the pain. The fatigue is one of my worse problems lately. Sometimes I can hardly get up the energy to get up and move around the house for days at a time. Then I get on a roll and overdo to make up for lost time. Today is a fatigue day already and I haven't done anything. But I have things I must get done so I'll make myself do them if nothing else. Mornings are hard for me but once I take the meds, rest a bit, etc. I usually feel somewhat better. I need to get in there and take the meds.
GOD bless and keep each of you.
hey leaflady I dmailed you that reply cause it got long.
Got it and replied, Scraps.
We lost electricity for a few hours this afternoon so I went outside and pulled weeds until I was really feeling tired. Got lots done but am feeling it now. With all the rain lately the soil is loose but heavy & kind of muddy. I worked as much soil as possible off the roots as much as anything for the sake of the worms that were in there. Because once the weeds dry out somewhat in the garbage cans they go into burning barrels and I don't want to roast the poor worms.
Kind of tired so I think I'll turn in for the night. GOD bless and keep each of you.
Having a down day today. At least for a while. I pulled a muscle/tendon in my left hip the other day so it aches all the time. I thinks sitting is worse than standing sometimes.
I do have all the cabinet doors painted and the hinges back on the ones I'm going to put back on. I have decided that some of the doors are in the way more than they add to the looks of the kitchen. The ones above the stove which has my pots and pans in them and the one next to them where the dishes, bowls, cups, etc. are will remain without doors. There are only 3 of them I can put back on myself. They are bottom doors. The upper ones I will have Kyle put back on for me.
Ended the PT for the L. rotator cuff today. My new job is in the opposite direction and it would be a 30+ mile drive one way to go for PT. I talked to the therapist and we agreed that we have done all we can really do. I use the TENS unit daily and an ice pack while it is on as well as other times if I feel the need for it. The battery in my TENS unit went dead so I am thru with that for today. I'll get a couple rechargeable ones tomorrow. I have 2 units & she set them slightly differently so I can interchange them. I can continue to do the exercises everyday too.
So this afternoon I'll make a couple important phone calls and maybe do some wall washing that in dire need of being done.
GOD bless and keep each of you.
I have overworked myself the last few days but enjoyed every minute. I hate that we have to suffer for doing something we enjoy so much. My brother came to help me do some work on house place and it is fun to visit with him while we work. We cleaned around a tree that has ferns around it and it looks so nice. However, I am too tired to go shower right now. I thank God for the opportunity to spend time with him and get something done. He likes to rake leaves and burn them. Hey, I can always use the help and he thinks its fun. I had a good day but dragging now.
Leaflady I hope you feel better soon. I am sending you a gentle hug.(((())))
Thanks for the hugs, Scraps. I need them right now.
I'm glad your brother came to help you. Time with siblings is wonderful if you get along. I understand the dragging tho. And the too tired to even take a shower even tho it will help wash away some of the aches & help us sleep better.
I had a horrible afternoon & evening yesterday but do feel a bit better this morning. I want to go to the church for the work day & work in the flower beds there.
Do you have periods of time that last for days, maybe even weeks when you hurt so badly you can hardly stand to move & are too tired to do even the little things? I have those about 3 times a year at least. Sometimes I have some problem with my body that lands me in the hospital for a day or 2 at least and they do tests, etc. but find nothing wrong. Just another fibro spell. I hate those because I really am sick with something like diarhhea that goes on for a week or more and we can't get it stopped, stomach pain that meds won't get rid of, breathing problems, feeling like a heart attack is iminent, paralysis for no known cause that goes away as stealthily as it occured, etc.
I signed up for a fibromyalgia newletter last night. I use to go to one online. Don't remember why I stopped going to it long ago. I also found a site that is looking for people to work with a doctor in another state thru your own doctor on fibro medications. I'm going to email him and see if he is still looking for people to participate.
I've had my breakfast so I can go take my morning meds and see if I can get going today. I really want and need to get to town both for the work day and to get things I need. Like a new battery for my TENS unit. I missed a treatment on that L. rotator cuff yesterday because the battery died. That was the trigger for a lot of yesterdays pain. I'll have to pace myself tho. The pulled muscle in my L. hip really tells me about it if I do a lot of squat/bending or sit too much.
GOD bless and keep each of you.
Scraps,
I, too, have FMS and can recall having pain as early as Kindergarten. Started with the "growing pains" in my knees. As I got older, as many of us fibro sufferers do, I came down with other maladies usually associated with FMS...Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chronic Fatique Syndrome, chronic headaches, premenstrual syndrome and painful periods, cognitive or memory impairment, numbness and tingling sensations, muscle twitching, irritable bladder, the feeling of swollen extremities, skin sensitivities, dry eyes and mouth, dizziness, and impaired coordination, sensitivity to odors, and sometimes even sensitivities to medications that are suppose to help alleviate these problems. I was thrilled when Lyrica came out...I thought at last, something to ease the pain. Well, the doctor prescribed it and within 3 weeks I was a wreck! I could not function at all...couldn't concentrate and wanted to sleep all the time. I cried at the drop of a hat. So I'm back where I started.
Missingrosie gave some excellent advice as well as a few other people here. I got into gardening about 6 years ago and have learned to do almost all of the things Missingrosie has written. I also use a tool cart and the wheelbarrow doesn't hurt my back as much as my arms, but I still find it very beneficial. I leave all the hole digging to my DH.
We, too, just bought a house a year ago with a 2 acre lot and no landscaping except for some shrubs right up against the house. Because of the fibro, getting the yard to where I'd like it to be is taking so long, but I know I have to pace myself.
My only advice, in addition to what everyone else has said is to work in the yard one day and the next day collect and then sort seeds while sitting and relaxing, or draw some diagrams/plans of some gardens you'd like to have. I managed to get in a butterfly garden this year and have started on a shaded serenity garden. Next year I want to start strawbale gardening (no digging!). Long term I'm thinking about having a Bible garden, walking garden, and a moon garden. You can do it, too!
Hugs,
JoAnn
JoAnn, I learned from my pharmacist the other day that Lyrica is basically repackaged somewhat tweeked Gabapentin. I had asked my doctor for a prescription and it got called in but my plan D won't pay for it without prior authorization. They want me to take Gabapentin for a while first they say. If the dumbbells would check their records they would see I have been on Gabapentin for years now. I guess they want me to take higher doses. Anyway the pharmacist also said the copay is so high most people have to stay with Gabapentin. I didn't realize all this about Lyrica or I wouldn't have ask my doctor if I could try it. I do ok with G., just thought I could maybe do with one pill instead of 3 or 4 different kinds. I haven't talked to my doctor yet, I'll just wait and see what the plan D actually does. I'm sure I'll get a letter from them before long.
The yard got some of my attention and energy this week. At least one bed looks pretty weed free and I'm working on 2 more a bit at a time between rains and work. And fatigue. But I'm doing pretty good this weekend. The hip is much better now. The L. shoulder wants to lock in certain awkward positions sometimes making some movements difficult but it doesn't hurt so much anymore. Pulling is something one can usually still do with a torn rotator cuff especially if you are bending over or sitting/squatting so I can still pull weeds. lol Pushing is a different story. Very little pushing strength but I'm working on that.
GOD bless and keep each of you.
I am not at all glad that all you others out there are suffering, BUT it is comforting in some strange way to know that I'm not the only one out here with these challenges. I try to focus on what I can do rather than what I can't, but sometimes it becomes quite challenging. today I was at church nearly all day ( monthly Ladies Breakfast and Bible study, then audition for worship team, mow using the rider in. 94 deg very high humidity weather, followed by planding about 20 plants that have been waiting for a week to go in the dirt.) About 20 min after coming inside, I was freezing in the airconditioning cuz I was soaked w/ persperation...well as I undressed to shower, I noticed that , (once again!), my pain patch had come undone. this time i thought of taking some digital pics of the darned thing ( the VA cries "drug seeking" whenever I tell them about one coming off and having to put on another earlier that the regimen would call for). I get soooo tired of constantly having to focus on meds, rest & on & on totally around this disease....I really want a life.....................WOW, I did not realize just how frustrated I was......but at least , maybe I've vented someplace where others can understand.
I refuse to let this Fibro prevent me from living my life, and so I suffer thru a lot of "battles".but the alternative seems to be to just lay around in bed or in my recliner so that I wont hurt, and for me that just is not a life that is the one God has planned for
me.............I am so very Thankful for this place and the feeling of it being "OK" to vent these frustrations.
It is comforting to not feel "alone in this" anymore. ..............I pray blessings and comfort and energy to all of you out there going thru the same or similar struggles as I...........................Hang in there!
Sheri....."BirdieBlue"
Sheri, you are among friends here. We all know what you are going thru. Sometimes it gets better for a while and we relish those times of relief from pain and fatigue or other symptoms that may plague us.
As for the patches, tape over them with a tape that will hold up under the salt of the persperation. You may have to go thru several kinds to find the right one but it is out there. Just don't give up. I know what you mean by the doctor's attitude. When I first ask a doctor who I had been going to for years for Percocet she recoiled like I had asked her to become my drug dealer. I found another doctor who knew that those of us who have chronic pain seldom become addicts. That has been scientifically proven. The new doctor also worked with me to get on other meds so I don't need the Percocet very often even tho I am allowed 3 whole ones a day. My doctor & I have talked about the patches but we both decided I should just stay with the Percocet. He said the patch is apt to become very addictive even for those with chronic pain.
We have an I CAN thread to tell about what we CAN do. Sometimes it helps to talk about the positive in the middle of the negative.
GOD bless and keep each of you.
It really peaves me off with some doctors that refuse to help us to alleviate the pain because we may become drug addicts? I am 71 years old and have been in pain a good part of my life but not as much now because of my tremendous weight loss but my point is pain is pain and at our ages in later years what the h--- is the difference if I become dependent on the meds as long as I can live the balance of my life in peace and pain free? To do the very simple things such as gardening that would make living worthwhile other than sitting in a rocking chair in pain and family members thinking that I am just "lazy?" I know as I have been there and still am. Family will never understand. I wonder what those so called doctors would do for themselves if they suffered such indescribeable pain???
I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia a few years ago and since I do not have medical insurance of any kind I have no treatment!
I also have arthritis , more than one kind. I am still in the dark about what all it does. It seems my muscles are atrophying????? I do know I have days were my Hubby cannot touch me around teh shoulders and I know that is Fibro. But I also get pains between joints that hurts like deep bone pain. As for sleep.... little.... less resting.
If anyone can help me inderstand I would be grateful !!!!
moonbaby, believe it or not, you must move those joints and muscles, or it will get worse. You can do stretches while laying in bed or sitting in a chair. There are days that I am in the same boat with deep pain, but keeping muscles strong helps. Do a tiny bit at a time, several times a day until you work up to a total of 1/2 hour a day. I do the top half one day, my bottom half the next. Sometimes I stretch in the middle of the night when pain is keeping me awake. I can heartily recommend the Arthritis Foundations "Take Control with Exercise" DVD. The first part is stretching, the 2nd part is for strength. It has helped me and my mother a whole lot. http://afstore.arthritis.org/AFConsumerStore/DetailsAction.do Sometimes you can find these cheaper on eBay or other resale places.
If you have a place where you can exercise in water, try it! The water cushions your body while you stretch or even just walk.
Gentle Hugs, Cathy4
Sheri,
I agree with you that I have never (well...almost never) let fibro stop me from doing anything I wanted to do. I have a very positive and tenacious attitude and do what I must to survive. Yes, I suffer daily...some days more than others, but fibro will never get the best of me! I found that gardening soothes me and takes my mind off of the pain.
Leaflady,
I just tore my rotocuff about 6 weeks ago and it just goes to show that not only does the doctor not know what he's doing, but my stubbornness sometimes results in more pain. I've always struggled with a weight problem, which has resulted in Type II diabetes, but in the past 2 years I have put on a lot of weight very quickly. I have been struggling to get the weight off so the doc finally admits that the Actos has done this, but to be sure, has started thyroid testing (since I found out from my sister that our deceased mother had a thyroid problem). In the meantime, he prescribed Adipex, or what I call, "legalized speed". I had no I idea what it would do to me, but within two weeks I pert near killed myself! I just could not stop moving. I lost 14 lbs, but at a terrible price. In addition to whole body pain, I aggravated my carpal tunnel syndrome, developed tennis elbow and tore my rotocuff. What a nightmare. Of course, I stopped taking the med, but I don't go back to the doctor until August for my second thyroid blood work. The doctor should have known that you just don't give a patient with FMS any kind of stimulant, and I had to learn that the hard way.
Moonbaby, I have learned that the insurance companies don't do anything help fibro patients. Instead of allowing doctors to prescribe the right kind of medications the first time, they want you to go through a whole list of other meds in the hopes that one of those cheaper meds will work. For instance, I take Actos for my diabetes, but it is known to make some people gain weight. The doctor can't prescribe another kind of med that he knows will work better for me because it is much more expensive, but a good side effect is weight loss. That's just the tip of the iceberg.
Anyway, Cathy4 is right, you have to keep moving...take walks, swim, stretch those muscles. Leslie Sansone has wonderful walk aerobics videos. I have about 8 videos, but I cannot do a couple of them because I get too much pain afterwards. Find something that works for you.
JoAnn
I am so sorry to hear so many of us are suffering with this dreaded disease. Our muscles are covered with a thin layer of tissue that hardens when you have fibro. If you imagine a balloon covered in paint or glue, as it dries and hardens it will get crackly and thats why we pull so many muscles and tear so many rotator cuffs etc. That is putting it in terms we can understand. I hope it makes sense. That is my understanding of it from what I have read on the subject. So the ideal thing to do is stretch daily and do not overdo it when working in flowers or gardens.Try to keep those muscles limber and elastic so they want tear. We are all sick so much that we tend to overdo it when we feel good enough to get out there and enjoy our flowers. It takes more energy for us to do our chores than most people and so we feel an urgency to rush. I also think having others who understand keeps us motivated. I think if leaflady and tplant can keep going maybe I can if I try harder etc. So here is wishing you all a day full of energy so you can stretch out those muscles and head for your gardens and enjoy them.Please do not overdo it says the pot to the kettle.LOL. I am the worst at taking care of myself.
LOL!!! I am so very glad to have found all of you. To be among peers who can relate and to work together to motivate and ENCOURAGE each other is, I think, one of the greatest gifts God has given us.
Scraps' wish for our coming day is mine also;... lets try to do, but not overdo.... and may we most of all, enjoy what we CAN do rather than get weighted down in self pitty over what we can't.... A warm bath does wonders, sometines the warm shower beating down on those shoulder muscles is very very refreshing,..... a good stretch on the bed, both on my tummy and back--trying to hook my hands and toes all the way to the ends of the bed..... On my back in the bed with some nice music playing--pulling each leg- bent knee to my chest as I breath deep in and out is a wonderful way to start my day....laying on tummy- (just using the muscles now, no actual lifting)----tighten the muscles of each leg one at a time AS IF lifting up off of bed...(LOL I don't think I could lift em anyway, but it is great exercise for those back & buttock muscles)---on my back (with pillow under the waist area for support) --1 at a time, I press each led down into the bed , also I press my head & shoulders into the bed.... Range of motion with my arms too is very important and helps a LOT with upper back, shoulder and upper arm thightness and pain....sitting around with em down at my sides is very bad for my neck, arms, back, etc...When I'm in my recliner with ankles crossed...I press each ankle/ foot against each other, then recross them and do it the opposite....I also have an elastic band that goes around my anknes/feet..that I press outward (stretching the band)......Well, these are just some little things that my physical therapist has suggested I do every day at least once and he'd be very pleased if I did them 3 times a day.........maybe my recsitation of my mild exercise program will help, motivate or plant a desire in someone to do what you have not been doing....I can tell you for sure ....that when I do these daily.I DO feel better...feel stronger...and, I think, even have a little less pain.....................Have a blessed day my new friends!.......Oh, one other important thing, I started with just the end of my driveway as a goal....but take a walk every day, as my stamina slowly grew, so did my "feel good center"
Birdieblue,
That sounds like a wonderful routine. I am not good at taking time to stretch and if I don't I pay for it. When I wake up I tend to take off in too big a hurry and forget. I am so much slower now with chores etc that I feel a need to rush. I am still not going at my old pace but have to push myself to get things done. people without fms don't understand that we hurt ALL the time. I am so happy to have started this thread, we have our own little support group going. Too bad we don't live closer so we could work together in our gardens and make it fun also. Then it would not feel like work. I am finally getting new house built. We have concrete slab now and that is a start. Hubby is carpenter and has a sawmill so it is slow going but will be paid for when done.So my work will consist of starting over on new flowers etc. Going from sun to shade also on the large part of property. But having shade will be wonderful.
I just got home from a long trip with another poor woman who had surgery on her lip this morning - early. Then waited for me to go to an appointment that got moved from 11 to 1 and lasted until after 2. It is an hour drive from the hospital to home for me and another 30 minutes for her. Our pastor's wife drove home. I offered to cancel the afternoon part and reschedule it. They did the PFT early this morning. Anyway, I home, tired, need to go lie down and get off my hips. I finally found out the other night that the muscle up the back of my thigh in into my hip that I hurt a month ago is called the hamstring. It is equal, more or less, to the rotator cuff in the shoulder.
When it cools off this evening I'll go lop off more huge weeds. Until then I'm staying inside. We are such a pampered nation. ACs when it is hot and muggy, heating when it is cold. Everything is run on electricity.
GOD bless and keep each of you.
leaflady I hope you can relax a while I know driving or riding makes me stiff and sore. I hope you feel better. I will keep you in my prayers. I am sending you a gentle hug also ((())). I had an energetic spell today and did some housework, cooked spaghetti, and then helped hubby lay out our house which consisted of me holding tape measure while he made marks where walls and doors etc. will be. That meant bending and squatting alot. So I have had busy day also. But I took a pain pill ahead of helping him because I knew what was going to happen. Bending alot makes back ache. Anyway I had good day. I can't say that often so it was nice. TTYL.
This is one of my days off. I like my schedule that has me work and day, day off, work a day, day off, work a day, 2 days off. It lets me rest up for the next work day and lets me get something done if I feel up to it. Today is very iffy right now. All the pollen in the air has me plugged up badly.
I did a lot of weedeating last night after 7. I don't go out and work until after 7 when it has cooled off a bit. Then I work until dark. It gives me about 2 hours which is enough to wear out totally.
I started on Lyrica last night. We'll see how this works for me. My co pay was very low due to all the government programs I'm on.
GOD bless and keep each of you.
Now that is the way to work leaflady a slow but sure pace. I feel my best when I work thirty minutes or less and then sit down in my very comfortable Adirondack chair and sip some cold water with those Crystal Lite flavored packages? Boy they are good and I keep my little cooler by my chair. It is indescribabel the serenity that I obtain when sitting in my garden as the little bit of pain that I still have just seems to diminish. Wish you could join me especially when my pair of Baltimore Orioles and my pet squirrel comes to visit. Wishing you only the best!
Ted
I really need to ventalate, so here goes. 3 weeks ago plants purchased at 50% off were delivered to my house. I was going to plant my first "sun" garden. (Having for the past 12 = years a wonderful laturalized front yard woodland garden focussedon attracting and housing & feeding songbirds , Hummingbirds and butterflies.
Here in NC we have red clay....not dirt, but red clay...the stuff bricks are made of...yep red clay. I had 2 big bales of peat to amend it. A man i know who works independently.......much of it gardening offered to help......even bring a tiller & work the soil for me
Well, what I got was a truck load of "Good dirt" with "some sand " mixed in with it. Sand is always a good additive to clay.I was in a lOT of back pain that day, so didnt hardly watch at all. but did not the very pourous nature of what was being brought in. At 1 point I asked if it was being worked at least 8" deep.........."affirmative"...er rather "yep, least that fer"came my response.
Today (nearly 5 days later and my back is feeling rested & better.)....... I go out to plant the $800. worth of plants that had been obtained @ 50% off......Anyway, apparently the load of "good Dirt" appears to be largly sand and perhaps, Industrial type building sand waiste------------anyway, nothing at all like what I would have gotten by mixing a little sand plenty of peat, soam compost, etc, to make a rich loamy soil
Help, What should I do ......I cannot dawdle, as summer is fast approaching and at least 3/4 of these plants remain to be planted..... I am on very limited fixed income fundsss.
Plant. Use what you have, add water gel or crystals to help hold water if you need to. Add peat or spagnum moss if you possibly can. Mix it only in the immediate area of a plant and water well. Mulch well if you can. Use fertilizer at least every 4th watering. Compost tea can be used every watering. When yardening in situations like yours you just have to make do with what you have been handed and improve it the best you can as you can.
Thankyou, Leaflady ,
You helped me to remember that all I really can do most any time is proceed from where I am...... There is no changing the past, or going back........So sthe yearning, stewing, crying, or fretting only serves to further frustrate me ( and often those I share my problems with) + delay any progress. Things just happen in life......I once heard somewhere.,.. that life is God's answer to Our plans..... LOL ..... Thankyou for helping me to remember this!!
Birdie