Okay, so I wanted to talk about something I’ve been trying out in the garden lately: going really basic with gloves. You know, the whole “barebones gardening gloves” idea.
Why I Tried This
Honestly, I got a bit fed up. Seemed like every pair of fancy gardening gloves I bought either felt like wearing boxing mitts – couldn’t feel a darn thing – or they’d get completely wrecked and disgusting after a few serious sessions. Plus, some of them cost a fair bit. I started thinking, how little protection can I get away with? What’s the absolute minimum?
What I Did – The Experiment
So, I decided to really strip it back. My first step was the most barebones of all: no gloves. Just my hands straight into the soil.
- I started with some light weeding in a bed I knew didn’t have any nasty thistles. Felt good, actually. Really connected to the soil.
- Pulled out some small, loose weeds. Easy peasy.
- Then I tried turning over some slightly more compacted soil. Got dirt packed under my nails instantly.
- Ran into a hidden sharp stone. Ouch. Got a small cut.
- Found some slightly prickly weeds I hadn’t noticed. More small scratches.
Verdict on no gloves: Fine for maybe 5 minutes of very light work with soft soil and zero sharp things. Not practical for much else. Hands got filthy and nicked up fast.
Next, I went for the absolute cheapest gloves I could find. Think those thin, white or grey cotton jersey things you can get in a multi-pack for next to nothing.
- Put them on. Felt okay, way better dexterity than thick gloves.
- Started weeding again. They kept the worst of the dirt off my skin.
- Grabbed a slightly thorny stem – yep, felt that poke right through. Not much protection there.
- Worked in slightly damp soil. The gloves got wet and grubby almost immediately. They hold onto moisture.
- After about an hour of pulling weeds and digging small planting holes, I noticed a small hole wearing through on one fingertip.
Verdict on cheap cotton gloves: Better than nothing for keeping hands cleaner, but minimal protection from pokes or dampness. They wear out super fast. But hey, they’re cheap, so maybe treat them as disposable?
Then I thought about those disposable nitrile or latex gloves, the kind doctors or mechanics use. I had a box lying around.
- Pulled on a pair. Great feel, almost like bare hands but waterproof.
- Started working with some wet soil and potting mix. Excellent for keeping hands dry and clean.
- Grabbed a small branch to clear it – snagged the glove and ripped it instantly.
- My hands started feeling sweaty inside after about 15-20 minutes.
- Definitely zero protection from anything sharp or thorny.
Verdict on disposable gloves: Good for wet, messy jobs where you don’t need protection from sharps, like mixing fertilizer or handling pesticides maybe. But they tear easily and aren’t tough enough for general gardening.
What I Found Out
Going truly “barebones” is tough in the garden. Your hands take a beating. Those super cheap cotton gloves are probably the closest usable thing to “barebones” for dry, light tasks, but you have to accept they won’t last and won’t protect you much. No gloves is asking for trouble unless you’re just petting your plants.
In the end, this little experiment kind of showed me why regular gardening gloves exist. Even a slightly tougher, maybe rubber-coated palm glove offers a big step up in protection and durability without costing the earth or feeling like oven mitts. The “barebones” approach mostly just taught me to appreciate a decent, simple pair of proper gardening gloves more. Sometimes, the basic tool developed for the job is basic for a good reason.
