From the Archives

My First Official Garden Injury

As accident-prone as I am, I’m surprised I’ve gone this long without hurting myself. I’ve had the usual splinters, blisters, aching muscles. But I finally did it. The thing I made fun of other people for doing (and admitting to on their blogs.)

I cut my own finger with my pruners.

Sigh.

So here’s how it happened. I was working in the garden at Emily’s school yesterday (which I volunteered to overhaul—it is a mess!) doing some clean-up and figuring out what I want to plant next spring. Mostly, I was clipping the bare flower stems from the hostas. My routine went roughly like this:

Bend over, clip a few stems.
Stand up, shove bottle in baby’s mouth, pick up dropped toddler toy.
Snip the stems into little pieces and throw said pieces back into the bed (I can’t compost on school grounds, so this is as close as I’m getting. And I walk the kids to school, so there’ s no way I was hauling it all home!)
Bend down to snip more stems.
Get interrupted by fellow parent. “Hey, whatcha doing?” was the general greeting.
Stop and politely make smalltalk until parent leaves to chase toddler.
Repeat.

So after about six times of stopping politely and making smalltalk, I decided I would keep working while I talked so that I could get the bed done before Emily got out of school. And then someone came up to me with questions about a committee I volunteered for, and I talked while I worked.

Note to self: I cannot, repeat, CAN NOT, prune and talk at the same time.

So, I’m snipping stems, and I’m talking about a fundraiser, and all of a sudden — Ow! I look down (in disbelief) and, sure enough, my index finger is dripping blood. I keep talking, not wanting my fellow parent to realize that I was clumsy enough to cut my own finger, and grab the tissue I had recently been wiping my toddler’s snotty nose with, wrapping it around my bloody finger and chatting away as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

She kept talking, so I don’t think she even noticed what was happening. I, on the other hand, was waiting for her to leave so that I could see how badly I’d cut myself. (I am such a dork.)

It’s really not that deep, and it’s already healing. But I’ve learned a couple of valuable lessons from this:

1. I can’t talk and prune at the same time.

2. I need to do my school gardening when there are no parents on the playground. Perhaps around midnight

13 comments

13 comments to “My First Official Garden Injury”

Dee/reddirtramblings, October 30th, 2009 at 9:05 am:

I can’t do anything and talk at the same time. Hope your finger heals fast. My prescription is tea tree oil for everything. Have a wonderful Friday.~~Dee

Carol, May Dreams Gardens, October 30th, 2009 at 9:10 am:

You are a late bloomer! I cut myself for the 1st time with pruners way back in college. Had to get it checked to see if I needed stitches (I didn’t) and a tetanus shot (I did).

I hope it heals quickly for you. Cuts on fingers are a pain to deal with.

Scott, October 30th, 2009 at 10:13 am:

Colleen, I feel your pain, or should I say felt your pain. Many years back i got my little finger…big time. Tetnus, yep, stiches, should have.
Heal quickly and wear your scar with pride.
Scott

MrBrownThumb, October 30th, 2009 at 10:56 am:

Ouch!

That’s one accident I haven not inflicted on my self. And I use my old bonsai shears in the garden, which are way more dangerous than your average pruning shears. This things are all one solid piece of metal with razor sharp points.

I’m surprised I haven’t cut myself with them before I accidentally stabbed myself.

Lindalou, October 30th, 2009 at 11:37 am:

You poor thing. I can’t believe this is the first time you really hurt yourself. You’re actually quite lucky. Points to you for trying to do something with the school grounds.

Chiot's Run, October 30th, 2009 at 10:34 pm:

I did this earlier this summer. I probably should have gone and gotten stiches, but I’m a real mule whet it comes to going to the Dr, and I always try to fix myself first. I put a butterfly on it and some comfrey poultice (there’s where I talked about my mishap). My finger was healed shut within 4-5 days, and it only hurt for a week or so then it was gone. Fastest healing I’ve ever had.

Hope you heal quickly (and keep a comfrey plant close).

Chiot's Run, October 30th, 2009 at 10:35 pm:

sorry, meant to include link to my post with poultice info: http://chiotsrun.com/2009/08/05/homegrown-medicine-comfrey/

Colleen Vanderlinden, October 31st, 2009 at 4:12 am:

Thanks for the link, Suzy! I think I should start growing some comfrey, just in case I hate going to the doctor, too.

Thanks for stopping by!

Colleen Vanderlinden, October 31st, 2009 at 4:14 am:

Hi Lindalou!

I have been lucky so far. I’m going to try to not make a habit out of injuring myself The school garden looks like it will be a fun project, if a bit daunting. I’ll be sharing the garden’s progress here on the blog, so I hope you visit again.

Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!

Colleen Vanderlinden, October 31st, 2009 at 4:16 am:

MBT— Yeah, bonzai shears sound a bit too dangerous for me to have around I think accidentally stabbing yourself probably hurts way worse than my pruning injury! Ouch.

Colleen Vanderlinden, October 31st, 2009 at 4:20 am:

Hi Scott–

Glad to hear I’m not the only one who’s managed to clip myself. Do you think my pruning scar will make me look tougher? I feel like I have more gardening street cred now

Thanks for stopping by!

Colleen Vanderlinden, October 31st, 2009 at 4:21 am:

Hi Carol,

Well I feel much, much better knowing you’ve done this too!The only way I can figure I’ve gone this long without managing it before is pure, dumb luck

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Colleen Vanderlinden, October 31st, 2009 at 4:22 am:

Hi Dee!

Glad to hear it’s not just me I have some tea tree oil — will put some on it today!

Thanks for stopping by!

Search ITGO

Canning and Pickling

Please Support My Wonderful Sponsors!

Colleen’s Organic Gardening Blog at About.com

Friends of ITGO

My Favorite Garden Blogs

From the Archives

My First Official Garden Injury

13 comments

13 comments to “My First Official Garden Injury”

Your comment: