Do you wear gloves when working in the garden?

[Hiedi]

From now on, I will try and remember to put my gloves on when I do anything in the garden. I found a black widow in one of my garden beds today. These three beds had shade cloths over them where I was experimentally (trying something new) growing spinach, lettuce, and radishes using shade. I was pulling up some old spinach that had gone to seed, and I saw a spider web that looked very familiar. We have a bad problem with black widow spiders here. Sure enough, after diligent searching, it was definitely a black widow. The problem is; the spider took off before I could kill it so it is still somewhere in my garden bed. Thankfully, I have not been bitten by one yet, even though on several different occasions, I have accidentally stuck my hand in their webs living at this particular location. Last year, I found a black widow in one of my garden beds on the other side of the yard. I thought that was just an isolated incident, but I guess not. Gloves from on when working in the garden for me...

 

[noobiechickenlady]

I was going to work on our plumbing and opened the water meter box. I stuck my hand in without looking and felt... wait, is that spider web? AHHH!!! Got a long stick and cleaned out the web. I spotted her under a leaf and did the jiggle wiggle dance all the way to my mom's house to get some spray. I have small curious children and I like my water dude, so death to the spider!

I really need to wear gloves while gardening too... And shoes

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Well, when I started gardening I did not wear gloves and only slowly got used to the idea of wearing gloves. The more gardening you do, the more you appreciate having gloves. But then, I am also an OC handwasher, so they help me "save water." What I don't like is how many pairs of gloves I go through in a season.

We have brown recluse spiders in our area, so wearing gloves is advised whenever you pick something up in an outdoor location. I read that recently after I had a fun little encounter with a spider . . . I still don't know what it was exactly, only that it was big, had huge "fangs," and moved fast.

 

[Wifezilla]

I don't. I SHOULD, but I don't

 

[Woodland Woman]

I try! But they always end up off. I did get bit by something but I never figured out what it was. Around here I we have Brown Recluses, Black Widows and Brown Widows. I didn't even know Brown Widows existed until recently but we have lots here.

 

[OkieAnnie]

I don't, we have all of those spiders, too. I try to wear gloves, but hate my hands to sweat and I can't "feel" what I am doing. I get frustrated and pull them off. I guess I like the feel of the dirt. I am very new to gardening, though. Maybe once the newness of the feel of the dirt wears off I will put gloves on.

 

[reinbeau]

I wear those Atlas gloves, they're very supple, strong and tactile, so I can 'feel' the soil with my fingers through them - if I have them with me. But I'm just as likely to see something, drop to my knees and start working without going to get gloves to put on. My cuticles are shredded because of it, and I always have dirt under my fingernails. But it's garden dirt, it makes me happy to dig in it, so I don't care!

 

[Lovechooks]

No I don't but I should, we have white tails here and red backs, and my hands are my living, but I am very tactile and love the feel of soil on my hands.

 

[Hiedi]

Yeah, wearing gloves seems to take away part of the fun of gardening. I just tried to pick beans with leather gloves on. That was very frustrating. I am going to look for some gloves that fit tightly to my hands for certain tasks. I have huge yellow squash plants this year, and it looks like a jungle in there trying to find squash. I am always a bit cautious about sticking my hand in there as well. My other concern is finding a copperhead in one of my garden beds one day. I saw a small snake one time but nothing poisonous up to this point.

 

[reinbeau]

Heidi, look for the Atlas gloves, they seem to be everywhere, from $5.99-$7.99, they're brightly colored, fit very nicely, are washable, and very tactile, I think you'll like them.