In my area most of us will usually squat to pick weeds, transplanting or potting. Bending over is very rare and usually those people who have difficulty in squatting will do that. Kneeling is totally unheard off. I only learn about kneeling to do gardening when I was in Europe. As for me I used to just squat and go about my business in the garden. As I get older I start by squatting and as my legs get tired I just sit down on the ground . I stopped sitting on the ground when I got bitten by some kind of nasty insect and I was wearing shorts. I wear shorts everyday because of the hot weather here. When my ability to squat for long periods diminished, I got myself a little stool to sit on. Now whenever I'm in my garden I'll have a little stool with me . Kneeling? Nope it did not work for me, sometimes I still just sit on the ground on a piece of cardboard.
Not kneeling?? Interesting KK, I never thought about it much. I use whatever is convenient at the time. I do have a foam kneeler, and a garden stool. If I get tired and a chair or stool is not available I sit on the ground. As we get older the flexibility of our youth fades and we seek comfortable alternatives. The only reason I can think of for not kneeling is a very hard surface or an injured knee. Oh......I do use an unconventional garden seat on occasion, my wheelbarrow. The closer to the ground I get, the easier it is to garden. I don't use gloves....except when trimming bayberry bushes or roses. I'm sure there are other stories and comfortable alternatives. Jerry
Of course I use different postures depending on the job. For instance, when i dig or do hoe work or give water, I stand. For planting, weeding and low work, I kneel on both knees. I have a special type of construction workers' trousers with stiff foam runner in the knees. My Bride has the real trick though-- she has a special type of stool that she can sit on. It has one leg with a round bottom. The thing is called een wiebelkrukje (that just means-- 'a wobble stool'). Here, the foto: This little stool allows her to lean way forward, as well as right and left. Her knee not completely in order, so kneeling is out of the question for her. Still, like most women here, she just bends over at the waist for quick jobs. I have never found that comfortable. Back when I was younger; I used to squat like you sometimes, but now I find that uncomfortable. hahaha.
My pants say “She kneels a lot”. Squatting only works for a while if I’m moving along while weeding. Sjoerd, Will look on Amazon to see if they have this stool though. Looks amazing. Wonder if I will actually haul it around with the other stuff.... I have gotten in the habit of using surgical gloves for yard work....most of the time. Much easier on my hands.
Jewell, it weighs almost nothing. It may be an awkward shape, but it's weight light. You know, as I recall, the Bride doesn't actually take it around with her, she pulls it out only when she has a specific task that would require it, like weeding on a plot or planting things out... you know, like repetitive jobs. BTW--I saw a couple on Amazon and they come in different sizes. If you get one, you have to get the height right, otherwise it will not be helpful to you. Of course you could always do like the old farmers of yore did and strap the stool around your waist. Have a looksy:
When I began ripping weeds and grass out of the front and back yards in 2006 I was younger and flexible. I had two of the foam mats, one small for narrow places and one much wider and I could get up and down easily. The past 2-3 years I have realized that my getting up from that position was not as easy and it certainly was not a pleasant sight for the neighbors to view. I tried squatting but my knees soon started threatening to cause me so much trouble they were betting I would give up gardening completely. So I have been bending over to garden,
Reminds me of the time I sat on a small plastic wheeled seat that some folks use for yard work. I listed to far to one side and whoop! it shot out from under me and down I went. Get the video camera!
Now that old stool is quite the contraption Wouldn’t I look grand wearing that walking around my backyard in my pajamas and weeding? Was weeding a patch with buttercups this afternoon and even the little foam kneeler was often left behind as I moved along. Surgical gloves are the only thing that seems to stay attached to my body and only because I got tired of dirt imbedded in my nails.
I bend over to weed, plant, and pick. If I tried to kneel or even sit, the cats would think I wanted to play! Gloves are for hard pruning, carrying the pruning remains, and repairing barbed wire fencing. For most every other gardening activity, I like to feel the plants and soil first hand (yes, that was a feeble attempt at a pun.)
I didn't wear gloves when I first started gardening, then after two semi-serious infections from being jabbed by objects left on the ground (and then had been buried by the passage of time like sands in the hourglass) by the teenage sons of the previous owner I started buying mechanics gloves at Harbor Freight.
I'm either standing and bending over or kneeling on one or both knees. I've never seen the stool contraption either but it looks quite handy. Don't think I've ever squatted to work in the garden. I had a small hard rubber thing to kneel on and while I sometimes start out with it I find I tend to leave it behind as I move around and about the yard. I often do not wear work gloves but have them 'just in case' I need to put them on.
Say Jewell, I forgot to mention that the stool with a waist strap was used by farmers when it was time to milk the cows.
Ah SJ, do that was its original use! It does lol Abit awkward though. I use a combination of all the methods folks listed above:. A foam kneeler, a little garden scoot on wheels, on my hands & knees, bending over, sitting down. I find it helps the old joints to keep changing positions.
