Written and edited by Tammy 7th May 2024
Pruning is one of those jobs that all gardeners need to do at some point whether you have a conservative little courtyard or a sprawling landscaped masterpiece. It's one of those routine jobs like washing, dishes and making the beds...you've got to do it.
Customers often approach me saying "I need to prune my tree, but where do I start? which tool is for what??"
It can be a bit overwhelming, so, let's go through a few and see if I can help solve some of the confusion.
Pruning tools
Floral snips
Snips are similar to a pair of scissors, you have two cutting edges coming together, bypassing each other. Generally, they'll have fine, pointed blades for getting into tight spots. They're designed for making precise cuts on softer foliage.
Use them for removing spent blooms on annual colour.
Secateurs
Secateurs, or pruners as some folk call them, are for pruning smaller hardwood up to approximately 20mm in diameter. They're the most suitable choice for pruning back your roses, fruit trees, vines and deciduous ornamentals.
Here are a few considerations to take when choosing a pair of secateurs.
Price.
A pair of entry level secateurs will start around $10. From there you can expect to pay up to $150 and beyond for a quality pair with all the 'bells and whistles'.
Consider how much work you will be doing with them, if you intend to be using them all day every day, spend a little more and go with a better-quality pair.
Weight.
Pick up a few different pairs and compare the weight of them. Are you going to fatigue holding them for a whole day in the garden? Would you be better off with the lighter weight pair.
Blade size.
Think about what you will be pruning. Lavenders and Daisies will be fine with small, shorter blades, but for your fruit trees and roses you might be better off with larger heavier weight blades.
Comfort.
Comfort is also important. Take the time to find a pair that feel comfortable in your hand. Look for features such as soft grip handles, and a contour that works for the size of your hand. Some secateurs feature a rotating handle and are available to suit either left-handed or right-handed users. This concept embraces the idea that as your fingers curl, creating a fist, or rather, closing the pruner, the lower handle rotates with your curling fingers. Particularly helpful for older arthritic hands.
Like finding your favourite brand of coffee beans, every gardener will find their favourite pair of pruners they love to work with. (Clearly, I'm a coffee drinker!)
I recall my old boss giving me a pair of Bahco secateurs and telling me to look after them and not lose them. I still have them, and to this day they remain my favourite ones to work with! They're slim, compact and non-bulky for small hands. They disassemble easily for sharpening and hold their edge well with the daily workout I give them.
Shears
Shears are designed for shaping and maintaining larger bushes and hedges.
They have two sharp edges, that bypass one another the same as the floral snips.
Obviously they're larger than snips though, they have long, flat blades designed for removing large amounts of foliage in one cut.
The other thing you'll notice is the slight angle between the handles and the blade, which is designed to aid comfort while using the tool in awkward positions.
Things to consider when choosing a pair of shears.
Price.
Once again, the price will be comparative to the quality of the product. Depending on the features you need, you'll find a pair of shears as low as $20 a pair, up to $120 plus.
Blade length.
For clipping small hedges or shaping standard topiaries, shorter length blades will be easier to manage. A large Buxus or Pittosporum hedge will call for longer, heavier duty blades.
Handle length.
Handles vary greatly in design and size too. Consider the size of the plant you will be pruning. Shorter handles will be fine if you don't need to reach far, but for taller hedges where you need to reach beyond the extent of your arms-length, telescopic handles extend to double and more of the original handle length.
Powered 18v or petrol.
If you have a lot of large formal hedges to maintain on a regular basis, (consider hiring a gardener!!🤪) OR, a powered line trimmer might just be for you.
Visit your local small engines and power tool specialists and ask loads of questions.
Ask them to show you a comparison of the brands, and features of each.
A petrol line trimmer will require fuel, oil, and regular servicing, the 18 vollt battery trimmer will come with the expense of buying and charging multiple batteries. It will come down to what works for you.
Loppers
These are the tool we call on for the big stuff.
They’re designed for removing larger previous seasons wood up to and in excess of 20mm in diameter on roses, fruit trees, vines or ornamentals.
Some loppers have a ratchet mechanism. It's designed to increase the force applied to the blades in a series of ratchet steps. Helpful for a smaller person, the physical force required to complete the cut is greatly minimised.
Telescopic extendable handles are also often an option for loppers which should be considered if what you need to cut is higher up.
Hand Saw
A must have for every gardener's tool kit!
A pruning handsaw is handy for small limbs that are awkward to get at with the loppers.
Unlike loppers, the blade of the handsaw can cut right up against the trunk of the tree or the larger limb it's being removed from, so you're not left with a small stump protruding.
Being small, they're light weight and super easy to use.
The teeth are normally angled back towards the handle meaning they bite in and cut on the back stroke, the pull action, not the push.
They work equally as well on dead wood as green wood.
Do be mindful to get one that has a decent quality blade, too cheap and thin and it will always jar on the forward push, bending it, rendering it buggered!
As with the other tools, you will find a selection of sizes and styles available.
If the branches you’re needing to prune or get at are a long way up, well above your head height, rather than climbing a ladder, look for a pole saw pruner which has an extendable handle, often it will have a lopper on it as well.
*Anvil versus bypass
Another thing you might come across that's relevant for pruners and loppers is the terminology anvil and bypass.
What's the difference between anvil and bypass?
Anvil tools provide a more powerful cut as they have a double-edged sharp blade (like a kitchen knife).
The blade cuts down through the wood essentially crushing it against a flat surface, the anvil bed.
For hard old dead wood, that’s absolutely fine, and chances are you won't get through that with a bypass pruner anyway.
Bypass tools on the other hand have a single sharp cutting edge that cuts cleanly past the lower fixed edge of the tool. It’s a cleaner neater cut for living wood, less damaging and stressful for the plant.
Whether you're tiding up a hanging basket of pansies, or cutting back the most untamed, rambunctious woody vine, there is a specific tool for each job.
It's just a matter of finding which one is the most suitable for your task, and the most comfortable for you to use.
You'll be an expert armed with all knowledge now next time you go shopping for gardening tools!
Hope you week is going along smoothly.
Don't forget this weekend is Mothers Day!
Happy gardening 😘🌸🍂
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