Whether you are suddenly interested in gardening and buy equipment for the first time, or go back to the market to look for a pair of worn gloves to replace, when considering a wide range of gardening gloves, you may encounter difficulties in choosing. In this article, Savana will give you some suggestions.
"The novice gardener really needs a good set of gloves, so that you won't wear your fingertips and cut your hands," said Tom Estabrok, vice president of Estabrok Garden Center, which has branches in Yarmouth and Kennebunkh.
Gardening gloves not only protect your hands from dirt, but also prevent you from being cut by annoying thorns, other tools, and any chemicals you may use in the garden. Gardeners can even infect fungi from certain plants and soil, such as sporotrichosis, also known as rose picking disease, which is infected from infected rose thorns or peat moss.
Wearing gardening gloves can prevent such infections.
When choosing gardening gloves, consider the fit. Unlike other gloves you may wear for warmth or fashion, gardening gloves should not fit.
"Personally, I don't like gloves that are too tight," said Estebrooke. "I like to be a size larger than my hand. It's a little loose, and it moves a little bit, so when you wear gloves, you won't get that kind of wear factor. You want that glove to move a little, and you don't want it to be too tight."
Ideally, gloves should leave a little space between your fingertips and the end of the gloves, but not so large that your fingertips will swing around and it will be difficult to catch things.
The wrist fit is also important. The wrist buckle should be located on your actual wrist, not too high or too low. When it comes to sealing, Velcro is the first choice because of its durability, because the elastic belt will stretch over time and the hook will fall off.
Donna Coffin, an extension educator at the Maine Cooperative Extension University, said her long fingers posed a size challenge when buying gloves.
"I'll put it on, and the cuffs will be on my palms," she said. "It is not well fixed. If they are too big, they will be soft, and you will find it difficult to pick out weeds and other things."
It's a good idea to shop around and find a brand that suits your hand, no matter how long your fingers are. The size of gloves varies by brand - the small size may mean different to one company than to another.
Given the social alienation agreement, it may be difficult to try on gloves now. If you purchase gloves online, please follow the company's measurement and size recommendations. Some companies provide printouts that you can use to measure your palm.
Then, consider the material. Garden gloves come in a variety of materials, including cotton, leather and rubber. The materials you choose mainly depend on the gardening task you want to complete.
Cotton gloves are best suited for simple gardening tasks such as weeding and planting. Cotton gloves can be used all year round, but they are especially suitable in warm summer because they are breathable. However, porous materials are not suitable for wet work, nor are they suitable for protection when mixing chemicals such as pesticides or fungicides. Rubber gloves are suitable for these tasks, but affect flexibility.
For the best of both worlds, Estabrook recommends choosing fabric gloves dipped in nitrile coating on the palm and fingertips.
"They are semi waterproof, so you can continue to work even if the material is wet," Estabrook said. "You need to make sure there is some kind of coating on the gloves, so that you won't get stuck in the gloves."
Coffin said that price may also be a factor. Nitrile gloves are usually more expensive than rubber or fabric gloves.
"I don't usually put so much money into such things because I tend to lose them," she said.
If you want to move rocks, operate heavy tools or deal with thorny plants such as roses or thorny plants such as raspberries and blackberries (also try to find gloves with extra long cuffs for these tasks), you will need more durable gloves. Leather gloves are best suited for this type of gardening. Some are even insulated, which will help protect against the cold during early spring and autumn gardening.
"Leather gloves are great," Etsabrook said. "They are really suitable for roses, or anything with thorns."
However, personal preferences are also important here. For her part, Coffin said she found leather gloves "bulky". No matter what materials you choose, make sure you can use them. Even if the gloves are made of a hard material, such as leather, you should be able to clench your fist.
After all, your gardening gloves are only useful if you can use them.
