Secateurs, Loppers and Pruning Tools

GARDEN · GLOBAL

Secateurs, Loppers and Pruning Tools

Bypass and anvil, choosing by hand size, pruning cleanly and maintenance

Pruning tools are chosen for the cut they make, and using the wrong type crushes stems rather than cutting them.

Bypass and anvil

Bypass secateurs work like scissors, with a curved blade passing a hook, and make a clean cut on living stems. Anvil secateurs press a blade onto a flat surface, which crushes green wood.

Use bypass for anything living, and keep anvil tools for dead wood, where crushing does not matter.

Size them to your hand

Secateurs that are too large cannot be closed comfortably, which leads to poor cuts and hand strain. Several makers offer smaller sizes and left-handed models, and a rotating handle reduces blistering on long sessions.

Do not force secateurs through a stem thicker than they are rated for. Use loppers, and use a pruning saw above about four centimetres.

Cutting cleanly

Cut just above an outward-facing bud, at a slight angle away from it. A clean cut heals; a ragged or crushed one invites disease.

Remove dead, damaged and crossing wood first, which is frequently all the pruning a shrub needs.

Timing

Pruning at the wrong time removes next year's flowers. Check the specific plant, and avoid cutting hedges during bird nesting season, which runs roughly March to August and is protected by law in the UK.

Hygiene

Clean blades between plants when dealing with disease, since secateurs spread infection efficiently. Wipe with disinfectant or alcohol.

Safety with garden tools

Eye protection for anything above head height or under tension, and gloves that fit properly rather than loose ones that catch. Keep secateurs locked closed when not in use.

Tetanus vaccination should be up to date for anyone working with soil, and clean any cut promptly.

Buying once

Good secateurs cost several times cheap ones and last decades with sharpening. Spare blades and springs are usually available, which is the mark of a tool designed to be kept.

Hand tools that earn their place

Secateurs, a pruning saw, loppers, a border fork and spade, a hand trowel and a decent hoe cover almost everything in an ordinary garden. Buy those ones well and add specialist tools only when a particular job demands it.

A folding pruning saw cuts far more than people expect and takes up almost no space in a bag.

Maintenance

Clean sap off after use, sharpen the blade on the bevel only, oil the pivot and adjust the tension. Good secateurs are repairable, and spare blades and springs are usually available.

Wear gloves and proper eye protection for anything above head height or under tension.

WHERE TO BUY

Ready to shop Tooled Up? Use the link below to visit the official store.

→ Shop Tooled Up — official site

Visit this site