Before You Start, Stretch

You wouldn’t jump on a treadmill without warming up, so approach gardening the same way. Always take the time to stretch first. Judy Cline, physiotherapist at Health Unlimited in St. Catharines, Ont., suggests the following exercises:

1. For your upper body, stretch out your fingers, straighten your elbows and put your arms up over your head.
2. For your back and neck, stand up as tall as you can and push the top of your head upwards.
3. To stretch your legs, do some slow lunges.

Transporting Heavy Loads

Autumn is an ideal time to plant trees such as spruce, white pine, cedar or yew. However, getting heavy plants to the site can sometimes be tricky. If you try lugging a 50 lb. root ball around, you may wind up with a back injury, not to mention a sour mood. “Roll the root ball into a wheelbarrow and wheel it over, or onto a tarp and drag it to the location,” advises Alan Reid, horticulturalist at GardenWorks, a gardening centre with stores in the lower mainland of BC.

Digging for Large Plants

When it comes to digging holes for large plants, such as a tree for example, many people select a shovel that is too big for them and dig out too much soil at once, straining their back, Reid warns. But remember, it isn’t a competition. We can do ourselves a favour by choosing a smaller shovel and lifting less soil at one time. And remember always keep your back straight, bend your knees and avoid twisting when shoveling.