An insole is the chunk of material located right under the foot, providing it with an extra degree of comfort and cushioning. While many types of footwear already come with a stock insole, typically, it is not quite enough to cover the needs of workers. This fact becomes even more obvious if your job or activity (gardening, for example) requires you to be constantly on your feet. As a result, you will need an additional layer of material to protect you from any potential injuries and keep your feet warm.

Since there are many types of insoles on the market, the purpose of this article is to inform construction workers, day laborers and gardeners what specific perks and features they should seek before buying a pair of insoles. Here is what you should know.

Why are Insoles Important?

Insoles can influence the health and state of your feet as much as a pair of boots. Apart from providing comfort and safety, a pair of top quality insoles will make your overall work experience much more pleasant.

Gardening, while being a relaxing and fulfilling activity, can be very taxing to the body, especially the feet. This is why many online sources, like this article about best insoles, are stressing the importance of insoles and how they can reduce the risk of injuries and developing feet specific conditions.

Here are a few brief reasons why gardeners should equip their work boots with insoles:

As a gardener, besides being constantly exposed to the elements of nature, you will be working in hot, humid conditions. Insoles can counteract their effects (feet fungus, swollen feet, etc.) by providing an extra layer of material between your feet and shoes.
Constantly bending over, digging, hoeing, sowing and weeding puts high amounts of pressure on the feet and ankles. Fortunately, insoles will correct the foot and overall body posture and alleviate most of the negative effects.
Insoles make the process of finding the perfect gardening shoes much more easier. Because finding a perfect fit is hard for many people, they usually compromise and buy shoes that are either slightly bigger or slightly smaller, exposing themselves to blisters, calluses, and other gardening-related inconveniences. Insoles have the potential of solving these issues by providing an additional layer between your feet and the shoes. Furthermore, since most insoles are quite thick, you will never have to worry about getting water in your shoes!
General Types of Insoles

If you are in the market for a pair of insoles but can’t decide what exactly to buy, you can give these general types a trial run before switching to specialized insoles:

Support insoles are made from a sturdier material and offer an extra degree of comfort and stability. The best starter insoles for gardeners of all skill levels.
Comfort insoles are designed to provide adequate cushioning. While they are not great for doing heavy work on the construction site, they are more than capable of handling gardening work.
Height Increasing Insoles

As you might have surely guessed from the name, the purpose of these insoles is to increase the height of the feet. While they are usually recommended and prescribed by doctors to people with chronic foot injuries, they can also be used to prevent a variety of conditions.

By decreasing the pressure on the Achilles heel – a perk that gardeners who stay on their feet for the entirety of the day will surely appreciate – height increasing insoles can cut down the risk of developing pains in the knees, back and pelvis area. Here are a few additional perks:

Great shock absorption Some gardening tools (like rakes, forks and the like) can be quite heavy, and a good pair of insoles will protect you from any serious injuries caused by them.
Height increasing insoles are especially advantageous for people with flat feet or high, low and collapsed arches, who are typically more predisposed to fatigue and sores after spending a whole day standing on uneven terrain. These types of insoles will prevent the load from affecting a single area and spread it equally throughout the foot.
Foot wounds and ulcers are less likely to occur.
Height increasing insoles provide the gardener with a greater dynamical freedom and increased flexibility.

Memory Foam Insoles

Besides height increasing insoles, passionate and dedicated gardeners who are concerned about their feet should also consider insoles with memory foam. This technology, first developed in 1966 by NASA, will provide adequate protection against gardening related injuries and conditions. Here are a few benefits:

Insoles with memory foam have great moisture absorption capabilities because they are made out of a material that captures humidity and dissolves it in a timely fashion. As a result, your feet will feel dry and comfortable even after an entire day of watering plants.
Because you will be spending a lot of time in hot, humid conditions, your feet need to be properly ventilated. This is another area in which foam insoles excel, as they allow to breathe, preventing various foot infections from occurring.
Walking on uneven terrain, a hallmark of gardening can be very taxing to the feet, and foam insoles can counteract any potential negative effects associated with this activity.
Conclusion

Every single person who does physically intensive work on a daily basis should equip their work boots or shoes with a pair of quality insoles. They will not only make your job more enjoyable, but you will not have to worry about calluses, blisters, and other feet related injuries. If you are in the market for this product but can’t decide what to choose, make sure to read through this article, and you will get all the information that you need.

Drought-Resistant Plants for an Eco-Friendly Garden

A lush and green garden is a welcome sight, but with many parts of the country suffering from water shortage, choosing to plant drought-resistant plants that require less water will reduce your water bills and make your garden more eco-friendly.

Drought-resistant plants do not mean only cacti. There are many flowering plants, shrubs, and perennials that have been developed to be drought resistant. These plants will survive on rainfall after they have become established. However, in the first year or first month, you will have to ensure that they are watered adequately. After that, the drought-resistant plants might not bloom when there is no rainfall or watering but will survive and add color to your garden after you water them or there is adequate rainfall.

Watering Tips

Whether you have planted only drought-resistant plants or some sections of your garden have plants that require regular watering, you need to follow the rule of occasional deep watering rather than frequent shallow watering. A general rule of thumb is to water the plants once a week so that the soil receives an inch of water. Avoid watering the leaves since this can lead to the growth of fungi. Covering the soil with mulch will also help prevent water evaporation from the soil, helping to delay watering sessions.

Drought Resistant Plants

Yarrow ‘Coronation Gold’: These are golden yellow flowers that bloom among tall silvery gray leaves. The flowers bloom from mid-summer to early autumn. The plants grow up to three feet in height and require plenty of direct sunlight and soil that handles moisture well with the proper drainage capabilities.

Silver Artemisias: you can add fragrance to your garden with this silvery gray leafy plant. The aromatic leaves grow from between one and a half feet to four feet in height depending on the variety you choose. These plants thrive in direct sunlight and when they growing in well-drained soil. They can be invasive and you need to divide them often to limit their spread.

Purple Coneflower: Another plant that prefers direct sunlight and well-drained soil is the purple coneflower. The plant grows to be between .6 to 1.3 meters or two and four feet in height.

Tall Bearded Iris: This hardy plant also requires direct exposure to sunlight and well-drained soil. It blooms in spring and is a great ornamental plant with blade-like leaves and purple flowers with six petals. The plant grows to be more than .6 meters or two feet in height.

Rosemary: Another hardy plant that produces both flowers and aromatic leaves. The pine-like leaves add a distinct aroma to the garden while the sun-loving plant will thrive on well-drained soil and less water.

Common Thyme: This is a garden plant that blooms in late spring and early summer. The bush-like plants grow to a maximum of one foot in height and the flowers are white or light purple in color. The plant can be grown in either direct sunlight or lightly shaded areas.

Lavender: These mounding plants flower in the summer. The silvery gray leaves are spiky and the plant grows to between two and three feet in height. The flowers can be lavender, purple, or white depending on the variety you choose.

Common Sage: The woolly gray-green leaves of this plant make them attractive throughout the growing season. The plant prefers direct sunlight and a soil that is not too saturated and that allows the water to drain away appropriately. It can grow to between .6 to 1 meter or two to three feet in height.

Hens and Chicks: This is a succulent plant with blue-green leaves that are tipped with red or purple highlights in the summer. The plants should be placed in direct sunlight or lightly shaded locations and the soil should not be flooded.

Snow-in-Summer: This plant is very short, only six to ten centimeters or two to three inches in height. The leaves are silvery and the flowers are star-shaped and white. The plant thrives in direct sunlight and in soil that does not hold water for extended periods of time.

Creeping Phlox: This is a hardy plant that grows in fertile soil that is well-drained. The flowers bloom in late spring or early summer. The plant is only six to 21 centimeters or two to six inches tall and the leaves are bright green and form a majestic background for the white, pink, or violet flowers. These plants can make attractive borders.

Sedum: This plant has fleshy evergreen leaves and grows well in average or fertile soil. The plant requires direct sunlight. It flowers in summer and produces loose clusters of purple or white flowers. The short plant attains a maximum height of about 14 centimeters or four inches.

An eco-friendly garden should make every effort to conserve water, use drought-resistant plants, store rain water in barrels, and use mulch to help the soil retain moisture for a longer period of time. These steps will ensure that your garden is lush and enticing without consuming a lot of precious water during the dry months.