We all love nature – plants, beautiful flowers, fruits, gardens, and this has incited that harmless habit of gardening in us, either as a hobby or professional wise.
However, do you know that this harmless habit of gardening could result to a disaster if you don’t have the right pair of gardening gloves on?
Gardening gloves is a very crucial part of gardening, as it protects you from injury and bruises caused by either your gardening tools or even the plants.
To some, it may seem quite an easy job choosing the right gardening glove, and to others, it may seem a very tedious work, but there are quite a few thing you must consider when searching for a gardening glove.
Because we know the importance of a right pair of gardening gloves, we have taken our time to let you know what to look for in gardening gloves.
At the end of the day, we bet you’ll be able to choose the perfect pair for yourself!
Why Use Gardening Gloves?
It won’t be nice if you get pricked by a thorn from your favorite flower, right?
That is why the right pair of gardening gloves is there to prevent this.
Asides that, gardeners wear gloves to keep their hands and fingernails clean and dry.
It would be very nasty for you to come out from your garden with dirt stained hands.
Gardening gloves also prevent cuts and scrapes, as well as protect the existing ones from fungal infection.
Gardeners wear gloves to protect their skin from harmful chemicals like fungicides, herbicides and pesticides, and to protect against bug bites and insect stings.
Now that you know the importance of gardening gloves when performing a task in the garden, the next step is knowing what kind of glove to pick for a gardening task.
What Kind of Gloves do I Need For Gardening?
To begin with, you must know the different types of gloves and their attributes.
Afterwards, you’ll be able to choose the right glove for the right gardening task.
Here are four common gardening gloves and their characteristics:
- Neoprene Gloves: these gloves are made from synthetic rubber so they can protect hands from chemicals, cuts and scrapes. They are made to be very flexible and breathable so you don’t have to worry about sweating in them.
- Rubber Gloves: these gloves, unlike the neoprene gloves, are coated with layers of natural rubber. It is water resistant and it is best used to protect the hands against chemicals like herbicides, fungicides and pesticides.
- Leather gloves: this glove is specially made from leather materials and is used mainly for protection from cuts, scrapes and thorns. Just like the rubber gloves, it is waterproof too.
- Cloth gloves: these set of gloves are common and less expensive. Made from a woven fabric, they are breathable and machine washable, but they work less in preventing the hands from harm.
Now, we are sure you have an insight of the different types of gardening gloves and you know what type to choose based on your skin type and preference.
Moving on, the next step is what to look for when choosing a pair of gardening gloves.
What Do I Look For in A Gardening Glove?
Here are some things you need to consider when purchasing a gardening gloves:
1. The Specific Gardening Task for that Glove.
It is important to consider the kind of task you you’ll perform in the glove, as it would influence the your choice of glove type.
For instance, leather gloves would be great in handling heavy gardening tools and tougher tasks.
It protects the skin from bruises, cuts, scrapes, as well as thorns.
On the other hand, rubber gloves seem the perfect glove type for handling chemicals like fungicides, herbicides and pesticides.
It would also go a long way in preventing infections.
2. Your Skin Type Versus the Glove Type.
Another thing you must consider when choosing the right gardening gloves is your skin type.
Are you the type with latex allergy? Then, try every possible means to avoid rubber gloves and be very careful when choosing a neoprene glove.
Make sure your skin matches with the type of glove you are choosing so as to attain a harmonized gardening task.
3. Does it fit properly?
After choosing your glove type, try them on and ask yourself these questions? Is the glove too tight or too loose?
The joy of gardening only comes when the gloves are fit.
They should not be too loose as they may slip off, and they should not be too tight as they may restrict you from performing certain activities.
Make sure it fits in perfectly. That is the goal – self satisfaction and smugness.
4. What is the Wrist Closure?
In respect to fitness, wrist closure matters.
The wrist closure of your gardening gloves should not sit too high or too low, but should be positioned on your actual wrist.
5. Is it the Right Season?
The kind of season you want to perform your gardening task also influence the type of gardening gloves to choose.
Is it a rainy season? Then, leather gloves is perfect to keep your hands warm
Waterproof gloves is best for wet gardening activities as well.
Be it summer, winter, autumn or spring, choosing the right pair of gardening gloves matters.
6. What is the Price?
It would be very awful to appear at the glove store, unable to purchase a right pair of glove because of the price.
That is why is is important to regard the price point of each type of gardening gloves, alongside other considerations.
Cloth gloves are usually cheaper and common while leather gloves are expensive.
We hope we have been able to break down each point on what to look for in gardening gloves.
In summary, fitness, price point, type of glove for each season, skin type and gardening task are what to look for when choosing a pair of gardening gloves.
But…
There is still another step yet.
The final step is to find that perfect pair of gloves, following the above guidelines and enjoy your gardening tasks!
Yes. That’s it.
Happy Gardening!
How well do you garden? What type of gardening gloves do you love? Let us know in the comment section below.
