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I'm STILL getting older. Never ends...

stan510

By stan510

13 comments


I feel like I crossed a line. I can tell all of you,I don’t feel as physically strong as I had. So I’ve been planting many of my potted plants. I need to get away from hose dragging every other day in summer,and that constant potted plant care..pulling weeds,moving them around.
Whew- digging holes for some large potted plants is a real effort-ha. Using a pick can take the wind right out of you.
Getting up – oh boy..that’s when gravity doubles. I now try to use any tool to lift myself up. Like a cane from a shovel.
I mean,I can still do all I need..it’s just markedly harder to do it.
I think my arms strength has held much better than leg. Stamina though ain’t what it used to be. I need to take breaks all day between hole digging or prunings.
Here in the San Francisco bay area the rainy season has ended..almost exactly to Easter day. But,the ground is as workable as it gets so at least hole digging isn’t what it gets later in summer..impossible unless you soak the area for an hour in expensive hose water.
Well,I’m down to 5 large potted plants. Ficus elastica variegata, Dioon edule,Cycas circinalis,Pandanus utilis, and Plumeria Celadine. I planted some other large potted plants to lessen the load..Psuedobombax and Cereus hankyanus..both can now grow wild!

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Comments

 

Its good that you are still getting older considering the alternative ;o).
I know what you mean though, the body protests more now than it ever did. But as plants mature with us they take over the beauty where mine has faded [not that I had much beauty to begin with :o)) ] At least my personal pruning isn't strength sapping, the odd fingernail her etc.

Glad you are getting the plants in the ground though, much less stressful for you and then plants.

enjoy the late spring and early summer.

26 Apr, 2019

 

I think yo uspeak for many of us Stan, unfortunately. We have to learn to pace it these days.
Eileen, be careful pruning those fingernails - if you cut below a node you might sprout several on one finger...

26 Apr, 2019

 

that's brill stera :o))

26 Apr, 2019

 

Well done Stan. Anything that can lessen the load of watering (especially if it's expensive!) and you can still enjoy the plants. When I complained about yet another Birthday to someone, she said "don't complain, not everyone gets to your age". True enough, my Mother died when she was 56, seemed a reasonable age to me at the time, but now I am so far past it, it seems nothing!
Same goes for the aches and pains, so many people who can't even get out of the house, let alone garden, so taking it slowly and sitting on the ground and weeding, rather than bending is a small price to pay.
I moved one extremely heavy, large and unwieldy log and an even heavier rock by myself the other day and thought that I would be completely stiff the next day, but I got out of bed and upright much easier than I have for months! How does that work? Have I discovered the cure for my bad arthritic back?

26 Apr, 2019

 

And I thought I was the only one Stan, I pace myself now, and no longer worry if it a job is not done, plenty of time later

I still sow veg seeds though, only in pots, mainly because I've only a small garden, and stooping to weed rows would see me stuck "down there" for ever

27 Apr, 2019

 

congrats, Stan. You will be happier when all the slogging is done... and you'll marvel that you actually did all that. The hard part of slowing down is accepting it. comes to all of us sooner or later. I've tried digging new beds and moving rocks etc. and after all is said and done I wonder why I bothered. came to the conclusion that If I'm ever going to have the garden of my dreams I'm going to need staff to do the heavy stuff. ...so you know what that means. (fergit it! ...lol..)

27 Apr, 2019

 

You ve done well Stan just go at your own steady pace the worse things you can do is stop doing things or over dothings. I shall look forward to seeing your plants.

27 Apr, 2019

 

It would help if I lost 5,10, maybe 50 pounds-wink. Gaining weight is much easier than losing..another change in the old metabolism over 60.

27 Apr, 2019

 

I used to do this and I used to do that...sure, but that was then and this is now. Today I moved 20 bags of mulch into the garden. Back then, I used to place 4 or 5 on a hand truck and move them in whereas now I did it one at a time. Now, for almost every task I have mastered the art of sit down gardening with implements bought or fashioned by myself for that purpose to avoid any injuries that at my age probably won’t heal or heal well below 100%. With advanced age my world has gotten a heck of a lot smaller. As a matter of fact, my world at the present time is just about the size of my garden and you know what? That’s not bad at all!.....for those who have not, it’s time to get a good physical just to rule out problems other than those that come with aging.

27 Apr, 2019

 

Oh ,yes. I left out the worst of all..the Back! Even sitting wrong can turn me into the hunchback or Groucho Marx for a few minutes...then I straighten out.
The key is to just let it take as much time as you need. Let people you PAY get it done by a certain time!

28 Apr, 2019

 

Yes it is harder to loose weight as you age the metabolism system slows down.
Stretching before getting out of bed is very good for you. A specialist told me gardening is good for the back 😂 he said it strengthens the back muscles. They say sitting to much is the worse thing for the back.

28 Apr, 2019

 

I just hope I can still achieve all the hard work you put in, as well as the others when I’m a bit older, I’m 48 and a half at the moment. It gives me hope!
Keep up the good work Stan, you’re doing really great! As Thrup says, it’s good for the back and also very therapeutic.
You’re an inspiration, like the others x

28 Apr, 2019

 

I can relate to all your comments, Stan. I should say "we" but my OH is combating Chronic Fatigue and has had to give up gardening. He tires so very easily.

Our Offspring have set up a watering system and all that is needed now is a time switch. In the greenhouse my OH can sit and water the trays which have capillary mats, but that's it, after all the work he has done over the years.

You say you want to lose weight? The 5:2 diet is great and so successful. You eat normally for five days and eat around 800 calories for two. Painless!

Honeysuckle: Your mother's comment is so true. My comment is "Old age is a privilege many people are denied"

28 Apr, 2019

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