I hope your surgery goes well--it truly is amazing what docs can do now-a-days. BUT be faithful about your therapy! You should be able to get around better after your recovery and have even more fun in your gardens than you did before with hip pain. Here's some ideas:

1)Ask your therapist how soon and how best to get back to gardening.
2)When my husband had hip replacement, I got him a "sock-puller"-it's a long handled tool with grasping ends on it; maybe that would work for reaching the larger weeds.
3)Hire a neighbor kid to work for you; they can always use the money and you'll be able teach someone to enjoy gardening.
4)Use a very small hoe with a long handle to get at the weeds without bending over; just push the hoe back and forth to wipe out weeds--don't chop; it just brings up more weed seeds.
5)Mulch your beds to keep weeds from sprouting.
6)If the weeds come, don't fret; hopefully you will be well enough to pull them before they go to seed!

Best wishes to you on your surgery!

Buckhill didn't mention weed killer, and probably for a good reason. For a while I used Roundup and other stuff like that and I think I was killing off many of my plants without knowing. Did more damage than good I think.

If I can't get to weeding, I at least try to pull any seeds that I see. Most of the weeds are annual and reseed themselves. Preen may help prevent some weed seeds from sprouting if you sprinkle that around.

I thank you.........................here's what I should have stated also: I'm cultivating moss, and Liverwort between the step stones so it's an extremely delicate process..................odly enuf it's not the beds I'm concerned about really they're Preened and I love it; the moss and Liverwort is the "baby".............................I really appreciate your suggestions and per
haps I'll conjure up some ideas from your intelligence......................How long did it
take your husband to get on his feet and at least take a tour of the fleurs??????????
I live alone, and wonder if I can actually take care of myself after hospital release?
Also, how long does one stay in hospital?????????????????????
They're going to give me second cortisone shot (which I have no faith in, the first one was VERY short lived)the physician's assistant and I are pretty certain the replacement will take place.
I've read some details on webmd.com and see there are different methods, one being
the MIS minimal invasive surgery by two diff. doctors: Do you have any recollection
of the process used for your hubby? It sounds like it went quite well..................
Again I Very Much Thank You! Jaemy

Jaemy,

I had hip replacement surgery exactly 1 year ago yesterday. It was very successful, and now I am able to garden better than before -- no pain. I was not able or allowed to garden at all last summer. I did have minimally invasive surgery (4-5 inch incision), but the recovery takes just as long for either method. You really can't bend over at all for at least 3-6 months. I hired two young women who worked at a local nursery to weed my garden once-- It took them 5 hours each( I have a huge garden) and cost me $100 , but it was worth it. My husband watered periodically during the summer. This year I am able to do the weeding myself again. I think you may have to go to a rehab center for a week or so after hospital release, unless you can find someone to live with you for a short time. I was in the hospital for 4 days.

Good luck with your surgery.

Virginia