There are all sorts of gardening gloves. Surgical gloves are great for delicate jobs like picking fresh flowers or harvesting ripe tomatoes. Canvas gloves are good for many ordinary garden tasks. For heavy-duty gardening chores like pruning or pulling thorny weeds, choose a good pair of leather gloves. Only sturdy glove types will fully protect your hands.

If you're handling chemicals, it's essential to wear heavy-duty rubber or vinyl gloves. Consult the package to be sure they're suitable for the job. Rubber gloves are also great for working in dirt since they can be hosed off with water instead of being discarded like canvas or cloth gloves might be.

Gardening gloves are relatively reasonably priced and come in small, medium and large sizes. Just be sure you buy the right size. Remember, no one pair of gloves is right for every task: make sure your covering matches the work. Treat your gloves like you would your hands -- and they will serve you well.