Gloves Wear Them....

I do sympathise. Jacque, because I hate wearing gloves too. However, if I am digging or cutting back next door's brambles etc. I DO force myself to wear them. For fine work like weeding, I just can't, (unless it's a nettle or baby bramble), so I don't, and then when I come in, I wash and immediately use handcream. I do break my nails, but hey, I'm a gardener, not a beauty queen - LOL - I also rub handcream in every night without fail and always have done.

Hi Jacque if you find it hard to wear gloves how about some barrier hand cream I found this to be very good it wont stop your nails from breaking ,but it gives you nice soft hands.I am sorry but I cant tell you where to purchase it ,but its called Country Living.Happy Gardening

Im the same as Spritz, ive got gardeners hands and im proud of them , lol , I go through loads of hand cream though , always have an order ready for the Avon woman I like their hand cream .

The only gloves I can garden in are Briers de luxe. They have a red cloth back and white thin leather fingers and palms (Don't laugh). They also have a velcro adjustable cuff which I find excellent. They are quite expensive at €5.95 as I wear out the first finger of my right hand fairly quickly. I don't know if they are available anywhere other than in Ireland.

I too am a hands in the dirt kind of gardener. Having stubby fingers I find getting gloves to fit really difficult (unless I go for kids sizes!!) but I hate working in them.
Be proud of your gardening hands

Thanx 4 all your ideas/comments its great2 know im not alone getting dirt under my finger nails,This week end iv invested in lots of good handcream&looking4those Briers Deluxe 2try out myself,Nail varnish hides lots of my SINS until it CHIPs lol :D

Jacque - I confess to treating myself to a professional manicure every month, but I gave up having my nails painted because it lasted all of two seconds after I got home and back in the garden. So now I have them buffed instead - looks good, gets the blood flowing under the nail bed and helps keep my nails strong. Good tip for you!

Jacque the gloves I swear by are actually builders gloves, and called SHOWA. There are immitations out there but these are the best and surprisingly durable. They are a cotton glove with the palm and finger tips dipped in flexible rubber. They even do a thermal version too!

yes agree with longpod, i too have builders gloves - helps having a boyfriend in the trade - he brings them home for me and they are excellent for the real nasty jobs, but i must admit i do like getting my hands dirty! and as for nails - well i gave up on them a long time ago, what with being a florist i have no chance! i am 35 and have hands of a woman of 85, flower arranging is one job you can't do with gloves on at all, even if you wanted to. floristy is just as wet and messy as gardening, sometimes worse as you also have your hands in slimey flower water quite a bit. and barrier cream although it is good for working with skin irritants eg euphorbia, diffenbaccia ect it can be quite slippery when wet and not easy to make hand tied BQ with slippery hands! but i do use a good hand cream, which helps, but this time of year my hands are constantly cracked and dry, but i console myself with the fact that i work with beautiful things, and do something i love to do!

Thanx every1 4 your comments&help:D iv been putting good handcream on which is great, But like most of you ladys my nails are ethier CHIPPED, BROKEN, PEELING :( THE PRICE WE PAY lol ; )