Spring Cleaning Your Pruning Toolkit
As buds turn into blooms and the buzz of spring draws nearer, you might find yourself growing eager to get back into the swing of yard work. But before you start your first trims of the season, take some time to assess your pruning toolkit. From the handheld essentials you’ll need for pruning flowering trees to maintenance tips to keep them in top condition, we’re covering all the basics of pruning hardware here.
Your Spring Pruning Tool Checklist
Hand Pruners
Also known as pruning shears, pruners, clippers, or secateurs if you’re feeling fancy, these tools allow you to snip branches up to ¾ of an inch in diameter with ease. They feature handles and blades that move on a fixed axis and come in several styles:
- Bypass: Scissor-like pruners that are ideal for trimming live branches
- Anvil Pruners: Tools with a straight blade that can split dry branches or stems
- Ratchet Pruners: Similar to anvil pruners, but with an added mechanism that allows you to cut in stages to prevent wrist strain
Reach for hand pruners when you’re deadheading flowers, shaping small shrubs, trimming back perennials, or making any other small, precise cuts on delicate plants.
Loppers
Think of loppers as the next step above hand pruners. Like their smaller cousins, they’re available in bypass, anvil, and ratchet styles, but come with extended handles for a broader reach. With their added size, they can make their way through branches of up to two and a half inches in diameter, such as those found on fruit and nut trees, as well as thick vines. Some even have telescopic handles, granting you access to especially hard-to-reach places when you’re pruning flowering trees this spring.
Pruning Saws
For thicker branches or vines that can’t easily squeeze between the blades of loppers, call in the pruning saw. With a serrated blade and either a fixed or folding handle, these tools should get through branches up to five inches thick.
Pole Pruners
For even harder-to-reach branches at extended heights, pole pruners allow you to make cuts with your feet planted safely on the ground. Many are battery or gas-operated, so they’ll do the sawing work all on their own.
How to Care for Your Pruning Tools This Spring
If you’re retrieving pruning tools from a shed or garage for their first use of the season, sharpen their blades first for easier, more precise cuts. Here’s how:
- Clean the blades using warm water and dish soap, scrubbing away any debris with a wire brush. If needed, disassemble the tool to clean between the blades.
- Dry the tool thoroughly with a lint-free cloth.
- Use gentle motions to stroke the blade against a sharpening tool, such as a diamond file or carbide sharpener, maintaining a consistent angle. If you feel uncertain, there are professionals who can do the job for you.
Once your blades are sharp, you’re ready to get pruning. Just be mindful to clean them when moving between different plants: Wiping them down with an alcohol-soaked cotton pad will eliminate bacteria that could otherwise spread between trees, potentially transferring diseases.
Lastly, make sure your tools are free of any sap, wood, or other debris before putting them away. Prevent rust by storing them in a dry place.
Schedule a Tree Pruning With Premier Tree Solutions
While small plants may be no match for your pruning tools, mature trees need large-scale equipment and expertise for safe and proper pruning. And if you’re scratching your head wondering, “When should flowering trees be pruned?” let alone how to do it or what tools to use, allow Premier Tree Solutions to assist you with all of your tree pruning needs through the springtime and beyond. We can take care of your trees, shrubs, and bushes with our professional hand pruning services easily arranged by an appointment scheduled online or by calling us at 404.252.6448.
