So today I wanna talk about gardening gloves with sleeves, yeah those ones that go all the way up to your elbow. Let me tell you how I found out about these bad boys. It all started when I was pulling weeds last summer, and my arms got scratched up like crazy from rose bushes. Looked like a cat attacked me! Got real annoying having to stop every five minutes to itch.
First Attempt Was Messy
Went down to the garden store and grabbed regular gardening gloves first. Cheap cotton ones that barely cover your wrists. Big mistake. Got dirt and mulch inside them constantly, felt like wearing sandpaper socks on my hands. Tried pushing my jacket sleeves into them – total disaster. Sweat pooled in my elbows and dirt still sneaked in through the gaps.
That’s when Karen at the checkout counter saw me struggling. She says “Honey, you need the sleeve kind!” Showed me these canvas ones with rubber palms and sleeves going halfway to my elbow. Felt silly putting them on – like I was prepping for surgery or something.
Game Changer Moment
Took them straight to my tomato patch next morning. Started yanking out nasty thorny weeds near the fence. Normally I’d be bleeding by now but guess what? Zero scratches on my forearms! When I pulled my hands out later, absolutely no dirt up my sleeves. Felt like magic.
- Sun protection: Didn’t need sunscreen on my arms at all
- Bug defense: Mosquitos couldn’t bite through the fabric
- Less laundry: My shirts stayed clean for days instead of hours
Only downside? Hotter than regular gloves. Had to take breaks every hour so my arms didn’t turn into steamed veggies. Almost returned them because sweat was dripping down my elbows. But then I discovered a trick – soak the sleeves in cold water before wearing. Instant AC for your arms!
Long-Term Verdict
Used them all season for pruning roses, hauling compost, even clearing blackberry bushes. Sleeves got snagged a couple times but never ripped. They’re thick enough that poison ivy didn’t touch my skin. Now I keep two pairs hanging by my toolshed. Still look ridiculous wearing them? Sure. But way better than showing up at work looking like I lost a fight with a cheese grater.
If you garden in places with thorny plants or need arm protection, these are totally worth looking stupid. Just remember the water trick when it’s scorching out. Your forearms will thank you later.
