Many people enjoy gardening each year for the many benefits it provides. Some like the fresh veggies and fruit, while others enjoy the fragrance and color of their beautiful flowers.

I am constantly amazed how nature works to grow my plants and help put food on my table.

Each gardener also enjoys reduced stress and improved muscle strength.

However, sometimes in our lives we face challenges that can restrict our ability to participate in the interests and activities we have grown to love. Gardening can become difficult for people with physical limitations.

Adaptive gardening is a way of adapting tools and techniques commonly used in gardening to fit the needs of people of various levels of physical ability.

I have moved from a house with a one-acre food plot to a house with a much smaller vegetable garden over the years. Recently, I have become a convert of raised beds, container and trellis gardening. I use cattle panel wire fencing as a trellis for my pole beans and this also helps limit the deer damage.

To begin, think about what you wish to do in your garden and consider your capabilities, you can begin a plan to accomplish those tasks. If you have difficulty bending and reaching, make a plan to set up raised beds, straw bales or even switch to a trellis or container garden.

Also, plan not to exceed a 36-inch width on any beds to easily reach plants and include safe access from each side.

Have seating available and take rest / stretch breaks when working for extended periods.

Consider the tools you use in gardening and where you store them. If you have trouble reaching try to locate adjustable handle tools or get a tool with a wood handle and cut it to the length that suites your reach. Locate tool storage as close to the point of use as possible. Keep blades on the tools sharp to cut easier with less force on your body.

If the tool handles are short, search online for tools that gain mechanical advantage by extended handles. Check the tool grips or wear rubber padded gloves for a better grip. You may improve tool grips by using foam pipe insulation and tape to cover them to help those with arthritis.

Think about the loads you will carry and keep the distances short and the loads light. Use a wheelbarrow with two wheels up front to transport heavier loads and maintain good balance. Get a smaller watering can or use a self coiling hose, water wand or install a type of irrigation system.

Plan before you plant. You can reduce the time spent bent over in the garden with seeding tools and guides. Various types of seeding tools are available to help with planting from small trowel type for small seeds to wheeled ones with seed plates to accommodate larger seeds like beans and corn.

I apply shredded wood mulch the garden to retain moisture and greatly reduce the effort of weeding. You can easily recycle your newspaper into mulch to cover larger areas. Place three sheets down, wet the area so the sheets don’t blow away and cover with compost or mulch.

If weeding by hand, I suggest you look for weeding tools that have long handles and a tee or D grip. Keep a stool handy and don’t forget that foam kneeling pad. I actually glue two foam pads together to get better cushioning as I kneel in the soil.

A bucket or old golf bag is good to have for organizing tools, collecting materials and transporting them to the garden area. I keep some clean empty five-gallon buckets around for aids in weeding, watering and tool organizing.

Gardening continues to teach me how I can still realize it’s many benefits even as I endure some of life’s many challenges.

For more information on adaptive gardening, visit http://go.osu.edu/adaptive.

Eister is an Ohio State University Mahoning County Extension Master Gardener volunteer.