The Four Types of Gardening Gloves

One type of glove is not made to fit every different gardening job. You need to choose a pair of gloves that is perfect for what you are going to be using them for…

L&A Safety offers a wide range of gloves, including those that can be used for gardening, take a look at the L&A Safety's website or pop into one of their stores in Cape Town, Vredenburg or Robertson.

Here are the four different types of gloves used for gardening.

Cloth Gloves – These gloves are usually made from strong cotton or knit jersey. The most common gardening tasks they are used for is planting, mixing soil, cultivating and raking. Cloth gloves are popular because they are cheap and can be used multiple times, however they’re not pleasant to wear when your hands are wet and you’ll have to replace them quite often.

Leather Gloves – Made from either cowhide, pigskin, sheepskin or goatskin, leather gloves are best suited for heavy gardening chores like planting, shoveling, moving rocks and using power equipment. These gloves are durable and keep your hands dry when working in wetness, but they can be expensive to buy.

Rubber-Coated Gloves – Nothing will ever get through these gloves, which is great if you’re working with wet soil, fungicide and liquid garden fertilizers, but we warned that they do puncture easily. Rubber gloves are great because they act as a second skin and you can even wash your hands with them on, but they don’t breathe so they can leave your hands clammy.

Nitrile Gloves – Great as multi-purpose gardening gloves and the best choice when working with fungicides and fertilizers because they offer a watertight barrier. Nitrile gloves are cheaper than leather gloves and allow for good dexterity in the garden, the only disadvantage is that soil particles can seep through the surface.

Gardening is literally a hands-on task, so you need to choose a pair of gloves that allow you to work effectively on your gardening tasks, but at the same time protect your hands in the process.

Essential Gardening Gear

The sun is out which means it’s time to head to the garden and deal with whatever it throws at you, whether it be a mess of weeds or an overgrown spinach patch. However, before you step outside you need to be wearing the right gardening gear.

You want your gardening clothes to be able to protect you, but at the same time be practical. He’s a list of essential gardening gear you can order now from L&A Safety.

GLOVES

Your gardening gloves need to be durable and withstand regular use in the garden. However the type of glove you buy depends on the type of environment you are working in.

If you choose cotton gloves, they will be comfortable, but they won’t protect you much. All leather gloves are great at protecting your fingers when you’re working with sharp plants and can prevent cuts, however they aren’t very breathable.

I would say the best gloves for gardeners would be gloves made from Lycra or nylon – take a look at the range from L&A Safety.

BOOTS

Gardens offer a range of things, including muddy flower beds, thorns and even spiders, so you need a good pair of boots to protect you from your feet up to your calves. Polyurethane boots are both light, longwearing and have excellent insulation!

Take a look at the L&A Safety website. There Polyurethane boots are light and flexible, insulated correctly, durable, slip resistant, metal free and protect your feet if you step on a sharp object!

GLASSES

The sun is beating down on you and the last thing you need is an annoying glare in your eyes, this is why glasses are so important when you’re gardening.

Choose a pair that suites your needs – a sporty safety pair of glasses with a tinted lens if you’re just pruning your rose garden.  General purpose dust goggles and a clear full face shield if you’re planning on doing some heavy duty gardening like mowing the lawn.

Some other essentials:

- Old, loose, comfortable clothing
- A wide-brimmed hat
- A pouch or apron

Before you step outside into the garden, make sure you have these gardening essentials.

Why you need Gardening Gloves

Ideally, we were moulded from soil and have no problem touching the earth and using it in any way with our bare hands plus breaking plants, pruning and applying the mulch bare handed. However, there is need to dress the fingers while gardening.

Experts discuss some reasons why you need a pair of gloves while gardening.

• Prevent nail breakage

Save your finger nails from breaking and keep nails clean as well. One of the greatest physical assets a lady has is the fingernails. Save those finger nails from breaking as a result of digging them in the earth, forcing them to break branches and sowing seeds with hard coats.

• Prevent cuts 

Notably, gloves will save you from very painful splinters and infected cuts. Most people dread them with the excuse that they are heavy and sweaty – yes they are quite uncomfortable but one gets used to working in them over time because it pays.

• Protect hands from cuts

Hands are worth taking care of; a good pair of gloves will not only protect you from cuts, particles and pricks from thorns but also keep your hands in shape. Buy fitting gloves. Gloves that are ill fitting are uncomfortable but can also be dangerous. If you are using powerful tools with gloves that don’t fit, they can easily get pulled along with your working tools and leave you unprotected. Also, small or tight gloves limit movement and should not be anywhere near your fingers.

• Prevent contact with soil-borne and bacterial infections

Wearing gloves saves you from directly getting into contact with animal waste and deadly chemicals. Gardening with open wounds or cuts exposes you to bacterial infections through contact with waste.

Gloves are made to protect your hands from the mud and keep them clean and dry. They also keep hands warm in cold weather – always wear gloves while gardening!

L&A Safety offers a wide range of safety equipment and clothing, ranging from construction hats and boiler suits to gloves used for gardening, etc. Visit L&A Safety's website today or pop in at one of their branches in Cape Town, Vredenburg or Robertson.

The Top 10 Reasons to Wear Gloves when you Garden

Some people who work in the garden never wear gloves, but you’d be surprised how important those gloves really are! Here’s why you should grab your gloves before your even set foot in the garden…

- The spring weather can turn cold in an instant

- Wearing a good pair of gloves will make it look like you know what you’re doing, even if you don’t

- Remember that cats think the world is their litter box, and that includes your garden

- There are far better ways to spend your time then cleaning dirt from under your fingernails

- Toads hibernate in the strangest places; you don’t want to disturb them, especially when you’re not wearing gloves

- Cuts, thorns and scraps on your hands are no fun at all

- Blisters

- Mud treatments are apparently all the rage, but they are highly overrated

- There are probably all sorts of fungi in that dirt you’re just about to put your hands into

- The number one reason to wear gloves in the garden is because L&A Safety sell’s such a wide variety of cool gloves to choose from!

Need an affordable pair of gloves for your gardening adventures? Or maybe you need a pair for something else. Either way give L&A Safety a call today or visit one of their branches in Milnerton, Robertson or Vredenburg.