As an ergonomic consultant, I have worked with businesses whose employees perform a lot of tasks requiring manual dexterity. Construction sites, wineries and high-tech clean rooms are good examples.
Almost without exception, these workplaces present situations that require gloves. Gloves protect workers from abrasions, pathogens and chemical and thermal hazards. Gardening also falls into the category of jobs that require gloves.
With their bare hands in soil, gardeners can come in contact with sinister stuff that is not obvious to the eye. Did you know that soil can contain Clostridium tetani (which causes tetanus infections), Clostridium botulinum (which causes botulism), anthrax, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Listeria? Granted, these pathogens aren’t commonly found in soil, but it happens, so why take a chance? Animal droppings and animal remains are the source of some of these contaminants.
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These undesirables can enter the body via puncture wounds, abrasions, cuts, existing skin lesions, inhalation or digestion. Bottom line: When you are working in the garden, keeps your hands away from your nose and mouth.
As gardeners, we put our hands in all kinds of places, from muddy soil to gravel to thorny bushes — not to mention the many vibrating power tools we use.
Fortunately, there’s a glove for every situation. Rubberized or lined gloves will keep moisture away from your skin when you’re working in muddy areas. Leather gloves can protect you from abrasions when working in hard or dry soil. Latex or nitrate gloves are a good choice when you’re working with delicate plants as they protect you while preserving dexterity. Elbow-length leather or Kevlar gauntlets may be necessary when you’re working with thorny roses or woody shrubs.
Top row (left to right): Nitrate gloves for delicate work. I also use them as liners for the leather gloves on the right. Bottom row (left to right): Green leather gloves for smaller hands; my granddaughter’s purple gloves; yellow gloves, too loose fitting, useful only for warmth or tossing garbage; red-striped gloves, too bulky for most people, protect hands from sharp edges but are unsuitable for fine motor tasks.
If you are handling a chainsaw, lawn mower or leaf blower, the vibration can damage nerves in your hands. Padded gloves absorb some of the vibration, lowering the risk of numbness or carpal tunnel symptoms.
The only thing worse than working without gloves is wearing a pair that do not fit. You can lose 20 to 40% of your grip strength by wearing bulky or poorly fitting gloves.
I choose different types of gloves for different tasks. I prefer not to spend a lot of money on them as I go through them so frequently. Here are some of the gloves I find most useful:
I buy nitrate gloves by the box and use them for delicate work. These are the type of gloves that medical professionals use. I also use them as liners for leather gloves. Sweaty leather gloves become stiff. The liners keep the leather softer over time. Leather gloves are not flexible but are used for handling bulky or abrasive items.
Kid leather gloves are softer and provide better dexterity. They are made from goatskin and are pricey, but for delicate gardening tasks they are excellent. I can’t afford them as a rule, so I use nitrate gloves instead.
For general use at a lower cost, many nurseries sell yellow felted gloves. They do not fit most people well. I find them useful only for warmth or tossing garbage.
There is a half-canvas, half-leather alternative to felted gloves, but they are also too bulky for most people. They are used to protect hands from sharp edges but are unsuitable for fine motor tasks.
When gloves are too loose, you have to use more force to grip items. Choose the right gloves for the task and be sure they fit. The term “fits like a glove” was referring to a good-fitting pair.
To protect your forearms, look for wrap-around leather covers. Paired with wrist-high gloves, the wraps approximate gauntlet-type gloves. When you’re done with the task that endangers your arms, like pruning roses, you can simply remove the covers but leave your short gloves on.
Leather gauntlets are useful when working with thorny roses or clearing weeds. They protect your arms from most punctures, but some super-sharp materials can pierce them. Gauntlets come in a range of lengths. Make sure to purchase a pair that comes at least to the bend in your elbow. There is also a version made with Kevlar.
In our homes, we protect our valuables. It would be wise to include your hands on that list of possessions that deserve constant protection.
Workshop: Join UC Master Gardeners of Napa County for “Succulent/Dry Garden: Double Your Pleasure – Double Your Fun” on Saturday, July 27, from 10 a.m. to noon, at Las Flores Learning Garden, 4300 Linda Vista Avenue, Napa. Do you know the five most common ways succulents reproduce? Learn their secrets and how you can increase your plant collection or add to your low-water landscape through succulent plant propagation. Register here: https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=42963%C2%A0
Library Talk: Join UC Master Gardeners of Napa County and Napa County Library for a talk on “Fabulous Ferns, Indoors and Out” on Thursday, Aug. 1, from 7 to 8 p.m. via Zoom. Ferns are an accommodating family of plants ranging in size from tiny to behemoth. Some species grow in air and others in water, as well as in just about any type of soil. Enjoy an overview of these remarkable plants and find the perfect one for your space. Register to receive the Zoom link: https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=42811
Help Desk: The Master Gardener Help Desk is available to answer your garden questions on Mondays and Fridays from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the University of California Cooperative Extension Office, 1710 Soscol Ave., Suite 4, Napa. Or send your questions to [email protected]. Include your name, address, phone number and a brief description.
Become a Master Gardener volunteer: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County is now accepting applications for the class of 2025. Visit us at napamg.ucanr.edu to read the informational brochure and register to attend a mandatory information session for applicants. Applications are due Sept. 25, 2024 at 5 p.m.
PHOTOS: 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest
A participant competes in the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
Alexander Geron, 3, practices pruning before the start of the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contes, which the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation staged Saturday morning.
A participant cleans and sharpens his shears before the start of the annual Napa County Pruning Contest near Yountville, in which 106 local farmworkers competed.
A participant competes in the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest at Beringer Vineyards’ Gamble Ranch near Yountville. The competition featured 106 farmworkers in men’s and women’s divisions.
Friends and family look on as participants compete in the Napa County Pruning Contest on Saturday morning.
Judges Lindsey Wallingford and Mark Griffin look at pruned vines during the Napa County Pruning Contest on Saturday. Competitors had their pruning work judged according to the accuracy and speed of their grapevine trimming.
A competitor pauses before the start of the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest on Saturday.
Competitors’ pruning shears are seen before the start of the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest on Saturday. Male and female entrants competed for prices that included $1,200 for first place.
A participant competes in the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest Saturday morning at Beringer Vineyards’ Gamble Ranch outside Yountville.
Participants clean and sharpen their shears before the start 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest, which the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation staged outside Yountville on Saturday morning.
Judges are seen walking past grapevines at Gamble Ranch near Yountville in February 2023 during the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest.
Spectators gather around a fire during the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
Vice President of the Farmworker Association Arnulfo Solorio, left, answers questions from participants before the start of the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
The custom made silver belt buckle awarded to the winner of the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville is seen on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
A participant walks past vines after competing in the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
A participant competes in the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
Participants compete in the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
Judges organize participants before the start of the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
A participant walks past vines after competing in the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
Participants and spectators are seen during the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
A participant raises his hand indicate he finished his round during the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
A participant competes in the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
A child is seen walking through the mud during the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
A participant competes in the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
A spectator takes a video of a participant in the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
People look over the vines during the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
A participant competes in the 21st annual Napa County Pruning Contest put on by the Farmworker Foundation at Beringer Vineyards Gamble Ranch in Yountville on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
Photos: To see more scenes from the Napa County Pruning Contest, point your smartphone camera at the QR code, then tap the link.
Bob Niklewicz, PT, DHSc is a UC Master Gardener of Napa County.
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