How to Dress for Gardening

Pick an old long sleeved shirt. If you are gardening, choose your least favorite, most scrappy old shirt you have. This way if you get grass stains all over it, you hopefully won't care as much. Consider the weather, and whether you'll be sitting out in the sun.

• If you'll be touching plants with sharp thorns that can poke you, long sleeves will help.

Pick some pants. As with the shirt, choose your least favorite, beat up pants that you don't care about getting dirty. If you have overalls for things like this, that would be a great choice. Something with pockets big enough to hold a trowel or dibber might be useful. Make sure you can kneel or squat comfortably. You might be in your hands and knees in the dirt!

Pick tough shoes. Old boots are a great choice if there is any chance of rain. If it's going to be a bright and sunny day, you're probably fine with going with your old worn-out tennis shoes, but make sure they are not nice brand new clean ones; you want old shoes that can get dirt-covered.

Consider taking as waterproof or windproof jacket. You'll be prepared if it gets cold or starts raining. You might find you are warm enough without a coat when you are gardening, but it may be chilly on the way home after and you'll be grateful for a jacket then.

Manage your hair. Longer hair can get in your eyes or even the dirt, so it's good to pull it back.

• A bun or a ponytail can keep your hair out of the way.
• If you're feeling fancy, a French braid will keep even the smallest strands out of your face.
• If you have short hair, use hair clips to keep it out of your eyes.

Bring gloves if desired. These can help prevent you from getting dirt under your fingernails (which is really hard to clean out) and be very helpful when handling rough stones and rocks or pulling up stinging weeds like nettles.