what to wear when gardening

What do you like to wear while you are gardening? Like any outdoor activity, I find that  dressing properly is critical in order to be comfortable. In the past I would wear the traditional grubby jeans-and-t-shirt ensemble that’s worn also for painting, plumbing and other dirty activities. But the other day, with the drastic weather changes and simultaneously doing laundry, I was wondering about this. I prepared to go out while it was snowing, in an attempt to tackle the pile of debris left over from the spring garden clean-up. I realized that a t-shirt wasn't going to cut it.

I realized that whatever I wear will need to be:
* Something that I don’t mind getting dirty. Duh. It’s fine to be able to wash things, but some things just don’t clean up that well.
* Something that isn’t too grubby. I usually run into my neighbors, and, well, I do have my pride, and I don’t want to be wearing something where my underwear is sticking out of the rear, no matter how fashionable that style might be for some people.
* Something that sheds water, dirt, and other debris fairly well.
*Something that will be relatively comfortable despite variable temperatures. Or at least something that is easily removed or put on.
* Something that will protect my skin from scratches and sun.

This is where I realized that jeans and t-shirts are not necessarily the best items of clothing. Sure, they are easily available, and I don’t mind if they get dirty, or worn, or torn on rocks and thorns. But in other areas they are not ideal. First of all, they aren’t particularly insulating, especially when wet. In the summer, I don’t mind getting wet, but when it is just over freezing, it’s miserable. Adding a sweatshirt is not much better in cold windy weather, especially in the snow. So like any outdoor sport, it’s not ideal to be in cotton.

Since it was snowing, I was tempted to wear fleece. But bits of leaves and dirt get embedded into polyester fleece in ways that don’t easily come out. This is incredibly true when dealing with plants with velcro-like leaves. I spent the good part of the afternoon one day, picking out the leaf bits from the inner fleece layer of a jacket that I had removed and inadvertently brushed against a Mentzelia. Each tiny hook embedded itself into the microfleece and remained so as the dead leaves crumbled to bits. 

But in cool-to-cold weather, nothing beats fleece, though it is best as a layer, underneath something that is more water/dirt/debris resistant. For gardening, I like wearing the smooth surfaced kind of fleece which is more debris resistant. Since with the activity of gardening, the protective outer shell can become too hot, and I shed the layer (it usually ends up lying on top or underneath a pile of dirt), it’s better to have some fleece that is less likely to entrap dirt. I particularly like the waffle weave shirt by Patagonia. North Face makes some shirts that are nice as well, but they are not as warm and comfy, being somewhat stiffer to the hand.

For an outer layer, I have observed barn coats, such as the ones made popular by J. Crew, on many people pictured in gardening magazines, but I have never owned one. I’ve always felt that they are too thin. They are not particularly wind resistant, and are also made of cotton which as I’ve mentioned soak up water to make me miserable. So as a top layer, I like wearing a softshell jacket instead, which repels water, dirt, thorns, and is wind resistant. Marmot rocks. The North Face makes some nice ones as well.  I love Arcteryx stuff like this jacket, but it is price prohibitive and I don't want to be wearing something this costly to get dirty.

For a first layer (or only layer in the summer), I like Patagonia’s capilene. It used to be called lightweight, but I think it’s now called Capilene 2. It is durable (very. I can attest to that) and gives a nice amount of insulation. It washes easily. It does not stain from dirt or most plant parts, but it does stain permanently from nut hulls (what doesn’t?). Keep in mind, however, that it does retain odors, so be aware. Oil based stuff (e.g. coconut oil, oil based sunscreens, etc) will adhere to it, and be difficult to wash out. In the summer, I like Patagonia’s sun shirts, which have a collar can be pulled up to protect the back of the neck (style aside). They also have a zip neck, which is convenient. I’ve worn Spyder shirts but the one I have needs a bit more insulation to be comfortable in the cold, which surprises me, since these are supposed to be made for skiing. The problem with all of these, however, is that they are knit, which holds dirt. I’ve gotten from a chair at lunch to find a little dusting of sand left behind.

For this reason, I actually prefer a woven shirt for the summer. It should be long-sleeved to protect the arms from sun and twigs (and slightly from thorns), and it should be collared to protect the back of the neck from the sun. In my climate, I prefer plain white, which keeps me cooler than colors. It shows dirt more, though. I like the ones made by Columbia, which has tabs to hold rolled up sleeves (very nice when working elbow deep in potting soil - if I can remember to roll them up before getting elbow deep). It does look better with ironing after laundering however. The ones by North Face are nice, but baggy on me. I find that T-shirts are fine in the summer, and in the blazing Southwestern sun, actually benefit from being able to hold water, but they don’t have a collar, and then I get farmer’s neck. I've tried UnderArmour, but I found durability to be lacking, and the sizing didn't work for me. They also felt clammy when wet or sweaty. Maybe the newer shirts are better.


When Smith&Hawken existed, they sold Japanese Farmer pants, which were very nice. I never actually owned a pair, since I thought they were overpriced (compared to old jeans), but were comfy, easy to move in, and washed well (I hear from friends who raved). A good substitute would be climbing pants such as the ones made by Gramicci. Those with elastic bottoms will keep the dirt out. Made for movement, and durable for rock-abrasion, these are terrific. I find, however, that I prefer hiking pants. Lately, I’ve grown to like the nylon ones, with a zip-off leg for when I get too hot. They don’t absorb much water, and in fact mine shed water. They also don’t get dirt embedded in them. But they do feel yucky against sweaty skin. So perhaps best for spring or fall gardening. They are too thin for the winter. My go-to pants in the winter are the weather resistant pants from REI. They have enough heft for insulation, especially over a base layer. They shed water like a duck. They aren’t too baggy, there are pockets for keys, and the sides zip open if it gets too hot (which, however, allows dirt in). I know people who wear sweatpants to garden in, but this is awful for me, for the multitude of reasons I don’t like cotton fleece for gardening.

There’s nothing that beats wool socks from Smart Wool. Unless it is the summer and I’m getting water in my boots. Then polypropylene socks such as the ones from REI.

A hat is critical, and in the winter I wear wind-stopper fleece. I like the one I have from Outdoor Research, but it is a bit tight and leaves impressive seam lines in my forehead. I find my broad-brimmed hiking hat to be indispensable in the summer.

I haven’t decided what to do about footwear. Low shoes let in too much stuff, and even wearing long pants, I end up with a shoe full of dirt, gravel, twig bits. Hiking boots are what I usually put on since they are comfortable, durable, moisture resistant with the Gore-Tex lining I usually get (but if you are sloppy with the hose or bucket, you can end up with a shoe full of water). The problem with them is that they take a while to put on or take off, and since I make many trips into the house (drink, eat, pee, forgot something, answer telephone, etc.), I end up tracking dirt all over the house. Speaking of which, the deep treads which are great for climbing rocks, collect dirt and mud like nobody’s business. I used to wear rubber boots, which are great in that they are water resistant, go up high enough the protect the ankles from the sharp bottom edge of 5 gallon buckets, and insulate the feet in the winter, but in the summer, they are unbearably hot and sweaty. They can feel clammy in the winter if wearing cotton socks (never do this!), or if you get sweaty feet. Maybe the newer versions are better.

Overall, I find that clothing for hiking or climbing are the best. What works for you?