What To Wear Gardening

Gardening is fun and tranquil, albeit physically exhausting in some cases. No matter how much time you spend in the garden, you will likely get sweaty and dirty. Because of that, many homeowners struggle with what to wear when gardening.

Long pants, gloves, and rain boots are essential items to wear for gardening. Overalls are among the best clothing items to wear when gardening because they protect your legs and often feature deep pockets. Never forget to wear insect repellant and sunscreen when gardening to protect yourself from bug bites and sunburn.

It also helps to wear headphones or earbuds in the garden to make the yard work go by quickly. Sunglasses are also essential for gardening, especially on bright days. Follow along as we explore what to wear gardening for practicality and comfort.

You should wear everything from rain boots and gloves to overalls and sunglasses when gardening. Gardening clothes should prioritize function and practicality over fashion. After all, there is a good chance that your clothes will be sweaty and dirty after even just 30 minutes of gardening.

With that said, several great clothing and accessory combinations make gardening more comfortable and easy. Check out our comprehensive list of what to wear when you garden as we roll into the spring and summer.

It’s important to protect your legs and ankles when gardening. Your legs are susceptible to sunburn, bug bites, and scratches. That is why it’s important to wear long pants when gardening, or you may quickly regret it.

Whether you have thorns in your garden or not, it’s easy to scratch your legs on branches, twigs, and harsh leaves when gardening. It’s necessary to wear long pants in the garden, even on hot days. Pick a pair of pants that you don’t mind getting dirt, sweat, and bug spray on, and use them specifically for gardening.

Overalls are among the most practical clothing items to wear while gardening. They are just as useful for doing shop work in a warehouse as they are for yard work. Gardening overalls are designed to take a beating, and that is necessary when you work with soil.

Many overalls feature deep pockets which make it easy to store small tools, gloves, and headphones. There is no reason to splurge on an expensive pair of overalls as, they will likely get dirty over time. A simple pair of durable gardening overalls typically costs between $45 and $60, and they are worth the money.

You are in for a world of hurt if you don’t wear gloves when gardening. Wearing gloves is the only way to protect your hands from dirt, bugs, chemicals, and scratches in the garden. Look for gloves made of spandex or nylon as they are often the most durable.

Gardening gloves that are coated with polyurethane will stand the test of time. Modern gardening gloves offer more hand mobility and won’t restrict your ability to pull weeds or plant bulbs. They typically cost between $12 and $40, and it’s worth keeping a few pair of gardening gloves around the house.

Rain boots may be the best foot attire to wear gardening. You don’t have to worry about them getting wet, which when gardening, is almost unavoidable. Shoes inevitably get dirty and muddy when gardening, but that’s not a problem if you wear rain boots.

You can simply rinse off your dirty rain boots with a hose or watering can when you finish gardening without damaging them. Rain boots are typically quite comfortable, even if they aren’t practical for everyday or athletic use.

Unless the sky is cloudy, the sun will typically shine in your eyes as you perform yard work. This can make the experience unpleasant and it can ultimately hold you back. That isn’t a problem if you wear a pair of sunglasses when gardening.

You don’t need to splurge on Ray Bans, and you can easily get by with a pair of affordable and functional sunglasses. Cheap and practical sunglasses cost between $15 and $30 and are typically durable enough to withstand countless hours in the garden. You can also wear sunglasses over your prescription glasses if you have them to protect the lenses from dirt and sweat.

Let’s face it, you are a sitting duck when gardening as bugs lurk around you. Few things are as frustrating as coming inside after gardening and finding itchy bug bites all over your body. While bug spray doesn’t count as apparel, it’s necessary to wear it on your arms, legs, and torso when gardening.

There is no guarantee that all bugs will stay away from you. However, you will greatly reduce how many flies and mosquitoes swarm around your head and extremities while gardening.

You must wear sunscreen when gardening to protect your skin. Apply an even layer of sunscreen and let it dry for 3-5 minutes before you put on insect repellent. Whether you use spray or lotion, sunscreen is necessary to avoid painful sunburn and serious conditions such as skin cancer.

Luckily, you will only likely need to apply sunscreen once per gardening session. The protective effects of sunscreen can last for up to 2 hours, so you won’t need to put more on unless you garden for several hours. Look for a sunscreen that is rated as at least SPF 30 to get the most protection possible.

While it can be nice to take in the sounds of nature when gardening, nothing is better than listening to your favorite playlist or podcast in the garden. A pair of headphones or earbuds can help make tedious yard work go by quickly and make the experience more fun. Wireless headphones, such as AirPods, have become quite popular in the gardening world because they don’t restrict movement.

Be careful not to turn the volume up too high, however. It’s a great idea to keep the volume low or leave one ear open so that you can hear any emergency that arises. This also helps to hear approaching pests that buzz around your head.