Top 10 Gardening Mistakes Older Adults Make

4. Leaving tripping hazards in your path

“Evaluate your yard, your patios — everywhere — for broken concrete that might be buckled, loose parts on decks, stairs without handrails, uneven ground,” says Fleming Hayes. Take time to gradually repair or replace them to avoid injury, she says. “You want to make sure that you can safely access and move around your garden.… Once you are over 50, falls can have much more serious repercussions.”

Sometimes it can be difficult to imagine how things will be at 65 when you’re 50, she says. A person can be in good shape, but balance and coordination tend to decline as you age. So be aware of where the hose is located.

5. Skipping the mulch

Mulching is one of the not-so-secret ingredients for a successful garden, helping reduce weeds and conserve water. Place a couple of inches of shredded wood, bark or straw around your plants without touching the stem or leaves. Mulching cuts down on the amount of hand weeding required in your garden. “It dramatically reduces the amount of weeds that germinate,” Lamp’l says. Mulch covers the soil surface so seeds aren’t getting any light and can’t germinate, he explains.

Fewer weeds in your garden mean less bending and crouching, which are taxing on your body. “We’re going to greatly reduce the pain and suffering of hand weeding,” Lamp’l says. Another benefit of mulching is that you won’t have to water as frequently. “The mulch helps hold moisture in the soil, reducing our need to water, so we’re not out there watering as much or wasting water,” he adds.

6. Not using battery-operated tools

Repetitive tasks, such as pruning, require a lot of hand and finger strength. Opt for a battery-operated pruner, great for tedious garden tasks. You squeeze a button and it cuts through like butter up to three-quarters of an inch, says Lamp’l. You can get a lot of pruning done without using your finger strength.

Older adults using heavy gas-powered tools is a mistake, says Fleming Hayes. She recommends anyone using power tools to be honest with themselves and not think “that you still have the stamina and the coordination and the balance to operate them safely.”

7. Moving too quickly

Some garden tasks can be overwhelming, so experts advise pacing yourself and going at a slower rhythm. Pancoast encourages adaptive gardening, where you determine how long you can work without taking a break, whether it’s 20 or 30 minutes.

“You start with the most strenuous project, and at the end of that 20 minutes, you take a break,” he says. Each task is less strenuous, so you may not see much progress at the end of the day, but you’ll notice you were more productive by the end of the week, says Pancoast. The benefit is you won’t be as tired and you’re less likely to take shortcuts, which make you more accident-prone.

Lamp’l recommends listening to your body and knowing what you can do each day. “We just need to face reality and recognize that our bodies are talking to us and pay attention,” he says.

8. Planting in the wrong place

Every plant has specific needs to grow. Some plants need a lot of sun, while other plants do better with some shade. “All plants have a preferred growing environment,” says Lamp’l. “Some are more tolerant of shade, but the ones that like full sun don’t want to be in full shade.” For example, don’t place a fern in a sunny area or a rose bush in the shade, he adds.

Check the plant tag or go online to read about their growing conditions, Lamp’l says. A plant in the wrong spot can be assumed to be diseased or infected when it’s just not receiving the right conditions. “The true personal benefit is we’re doing ourselves a favor by not creating more work for ourselves,” says Lamp’l. Ensure you provide the right conditions for your plants and choose a location that is accessible, keeping in mind any mobility limitations you have.

Protecting your body when you're spraying or weeding is extra important for older adults.

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9. Not wearing eye and skin protection

Spending time in the garden exposes you to potential hazards, such as tree branches or prickly bushes. Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes. When you’re bending over to prune a branch, you may not see another branch and it could poke you right in the eye, says Lamp’l. “It’s oftentimes a trip to the emergency room, and you have to have a specialist surgeon for many of these injuries,” he says.

Wearing sunscreen and protective clothing is key to shielding your skin from the sun’s rays. A big risk factor for skin cancer in people 65 years and older is too much sun exposure to ultraviolet rays, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Put on a broad-brimmed hat that protects the front of your face and the back of your neck. “I see more people wearing baseball caps while they garden, which shades their face,” says Pancoast. “They also should be shading the back of their neck, the tops of their ears, as well as their face.” All exposed areas of your body should be slathered with sunscreen, or wear clothing with UV protection, and use sunglasses, he advises.

10. Using outdated or worn-out tools

When was the last time you updated your gardening tools? Everybody has their favorite shovel or trowel, but it may be in disrepair or not functioning as well as before, says Fleming Hayes. Choose ergonomic tools, designed to function well with your natural movements, she says: “There’s lots of ergonomic designs out there now that reduce muscle strain and repetitive injury, like when you’re pruning or clipping something over and over.”

For example, some trowels keep your hand in a neutral position to avoid wrist strain. Use long-handled tools to avoid squatting or kneeling anytime you can, Fleming Hayes advises. Not sure where to start? Look for tools approved by the arthritis association, she says.