Pruning Tools
Pruning is an important job in the garden
– it helps to keep plants in shape, encourages the production of fruit and flowers and can help to prevent disease.
So it’s worth getting well kitted out with a good set of pruning tools.
All available in our Gardening and Wildlife department.
Secateurs
A decent pair of secateurs is worth its weight in gold. Bypass secateurs, which have a scissor-action, are great all-rounders for pruning and cutting back plants. Anvil secateurs crush as well as cut, so are best used on woody stems
Pruning Saws
When a branch or stem is too thick to cut with secateurs or a lopper, a pruning saw is what you need. They come in various sizes and can be used on branches up to 5cm thick. As a rule of thumb, the longer the blade the thicker the wood it can cut.
Long-Reach Pruner
Long-reach pruners are like saws on a long pole. They’re operated by pulling a rope or lever at the other end. They’re ideal for the occasional pruning of tall trees or big shrubs cutting woody branches up to about 3cm thick.
Loppers
When your trees start to lose their shape, it’s time to reach for the loppers. With long handles for good leverage and heavy-duty blades, these handy tools cut woody stems up to 3cm thick making them ideal for tough pruning. It’s best to prune fruit trees like apple and pear when they are dormant in winter.
Hand Shears
Unlike secateurs, which are designed for pruning single branches, garden shears can tackle several branches or blades of grass at once. These short-handled shears are perfect for clipping hedges, box edging and topiary, cutting stems up to pencil-thickness.
Topiary Shears
The best topiary shears come with ergonomic handles to provide grip and comfort as you work. They are a must-have tool for shaping plants like boxwood, privet and yew. Their short, sharp blades make it easy to achieve neat edges and fine detail.
Prune properly and you’ll be rewarded with much happier and healthier plants. With the right tools and know-how it can be one of the most important jobs you do in the garden so don’t be afraid of going for the chop!
