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Pruning ToolsWhich pruning tools make the cut? Skip has the answer. |
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Transcript: Pruning Tools
Late winter is prime pruning time for many of our ornamental trees and shrubs and fruit trees around the landscape. In order to do a good job of pruning, you want to have quality pruning equipment and keep them very sharp.For small pruning cuts, I like to use a bypass-type pruner such as this. And by bypass, I mean it has a scissor-like action where one blade slides past the other. The other type of hand pruner would be an anvil type where one blade comes in like an anvil on top of the other. Those don’t work quite as well. I think this is the much better pruner to have.
If you want a little larger model, you can also buy one that has a blade that is actually removable so you can replace the blade. So in addition to sharpening them, you can replace them.
It’s less expensive in the long run to buy a good quality pair, take care of it, and keep it sharp.
For larger cuts, you can use a lopper-type pruner such as this. You always want to keep them sharp and oil them. They’ll last you a long time.
When it comes to even larger cuts than that, we move onto a pruning saw. A good quality pruning saw has a curved blade like this and teeth that just move in one direction so it only cuts when you’re pulling it backwards against the branch. This kind of saw doesn’t bind up and it’s really a good way to prune branches up to a pretty good size. You can get folding versions like this that do a great job.
So spend some money on a quality pruner. Take good care of it and your pruning job will be a lot easier. You’ll make nice, good, clean cuts that heal fast.
With your common sense tip on pruning equipment that’s a cut above, I’m Skip Richter.
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Last Updated:
July 6, 2006