After nearly two years of service I am retiring my leather gloves. I began life in my Florida garden with fabric gloves that were almost immediately destroyed by my enthusiastic removal of undesirable plants. The chain saw and I became well acquainted with the load of Brazilian Pepper in the backyard, 15-20 feet deep in some spots.
The next pair was cotton knit with plastic coated fingers and palms. Apparently whoever buys and stocks the gloves in this area has never actually tried to use these. These gloves, while waterproof, turn into a sweaty mess in about fifteen minutes. Gardening with garbage bags over your hands is a more pleasant experience. These were sent to the street with the garbage.
I have always liked split cowhide gloves and have been unable to find them in ladies sizes here. I finally found some small men’s leather gloves and they have stood strong for two years. It is evident that I am right handed by the darker shade of filth on that glove. The tip of the index finger finally gave way and was funneling sand into the glove instead of keeping it out. The color of these gloves is interesting as there is no actual dirt in my yard. It is all sand.
These gloves have seen and been responsible for a lot of change in my new garden. Primarily demolition and weeding. The Brazilian Pepper is mostly gone. I don’t think South Florida will ever be rid of this scourge, but I feel I have done my part. I have also gotten rid of some uglies, Schefflera arboricolas, yes the house plant. The previous owners had dotted these around the yard for no apparent reason. I kept cutting it back thinking that would help. It didn’t. Sometimes removal is the only answer.
These gloves have planted some good things. My Mango tree now has some tiny Mangoes and the Lime tree is bearing fruit. Herbs and vegetables are flourishing in raised beds.
Baby Mangoes
Romaine Lettuce
With the help of my gloves I was able to grow the Romaine. (That is where the dirt came from – it had to be imported to grow the vegetables) And finally,
My First Homegrown Salad.
The Shrub Queen 
R.I.P. the gloves – I use a cotton/leather mix and I buy a new pair every two weeks! But at least yours have had a very good workout!
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I kept looking at those gloves and hated to throw them out, glove bonding, I guess.
RIP, indeed.
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The salad looks great. Nothing like homegrown!
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It was, it is gone!
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Ha! Love it…..bury them. Let them live on and prosper 🙂
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Good idea! can’t bring myself to part with them.
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oooh. And the salad looks fabulous! Where along the treasure coast are you? I’m in Vero…
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Jensen
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Good pair of gloves=Invaluable. Once you find ones you like, it pays to stock up 😉 (Although my wife often makes fun of me for taking off my gloves in the middle of a gardening project, so my hands end up getting abused anyway…there’s something about getting your bare hands in the soil that’s hard to beat.)
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Yes, while I like gloves, dirt feels good on your hands..my manicure has been ruined since we bought our first house and I am a plant pincher, herbs and everything – perpetual grody nails. Not very girly!
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You use a chain saw? You really are a hands on gardener! I can never find the perfect gloves. Too thin and they are useless. Too thick and you fumble around and end up taking them off. I always end up with one glove and the other lost somewhere in the garden.
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My husband bought a ‘girl chain saw’ for
me. It has a rechargeable battery and is light weight.
Plant material tends to be prolific here so I can chop away to my heart’s content.
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A girl chain saw? Is it pink?
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No, it is a tasteful shade of War Damn Eagle Orange. I really don’t do pink or faux jeweled chainsaws.
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No I didn’ t think you would. I was only joking. I don’ t think they make Barbie- pink chainsaws.
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They probably do make pink chainsaws – they just aren’t sold in the UK?!
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