Pruning and the right tool for the job

Pruning is so much more than tidying bushes. Here are some tips on pruning, and on selecting the right tool.

Every time you walk in our garden, you should have your secateurs with you. You never know when you’ll see a plant that needs a dead flower lopped off or a spindly branch trimmed, or a dead branch cut out. Pruning is an essential part of keeping your garden healthy and looking its best. Here are some tips on doing it right:

Deadheading: When a flower is past its best and starting to dry out and shrivel up, it’s time to cut it off – this is called deadheading. This is one kind of pruning that shouldn’t be ignored, because the more you do it, the better your garden looks. Removing old, spent flowers actually stimulates the plant to produce more flowers and to flower for longer.

When deadheading, make a 45° cut about 5 mm above a new bud so that new growth will start there. We make a 45° cut so that water runs off the cut and doesn’t lie there causing rot and disease.

You also need to use the right tool for deadheading and we recommend a good pair of heavy-duty bypass secateurs for this job. By-pass secateurs or pruners are called this because the cutting blade passes by the static blade for a neat, clean cut. They’re designed to cut nothing thicker than 12 mm. This is because they are intended for lighter pruning tasks such as deadheading, cutting flowers for display, trimming, shaping new growth, removing dead or dying branches caused by disease or insect infestations. Remember, pruning creates new growth, which is why we often call it regenerative pruning. So, if a plant looks tired, it often helps to cut it back, feed it with fertiliser and water it well.

The Heavy-duty Bypass Pruners from Garden Master are just the thing for deadheading and light pruning. They have coated blades that cut easily and a one-handed, spring-operated, closing mechanism. The PVC-coated handles have finger indentations for comfort and a rubber buffer to prevent shock when making hard cuts. Like the rest of the Garden Master pruner range, they also come with a two-year guarantee.

When pruning jobs get heavier, with branches thicker than 12 mm, you need a heavy-duty tool. Bypass loppers are perfect for medium-sized branches or branches that are slightly out of reach. The Premium Telescopic Gear Plus Bypass Lopper from Garden Master is designed for these more difficult pruning jobs and makes them easy. The bypass blade is coated for cleaner cutting and the heat-treated carbon steel blades stay sharper for longer. The head is geared for extra cutting power and uses 30% less power in making a cut. They are able to open wider to accommodate branches of up to 25 mm to 30 mm. The rubberised handles are aluminium so they are lightweight. They are also telescopic and can adjust to different lengths for increased leverage or when you need to make a cut higher up or deeper into a shrub.

When doing heavy-duty pruning, use a smooth cutting action and don’t jerk the blades closed. This makes for a cleaner cut and avoids damage to the stem. Also, never remove more than 20% of the growth of a large shrub or tree – you will affect growth and the appearance severely. Once again, cut at a 45° angle and don’t make the cut too close to the trunk.

From time to time you may encounter pruning jobs that are really tough, like cutting dead wood or hard and dense woody growth. The right tool makes the job much easier and in this case the right tool is an anvil lopper. An anvil lopper, like the Garden Master Premium Telescopic Gear Plus Anvil Lopper, works by the moving/cutting blade pushing up against a wide and blunt metal ‘anvil’. The Premium Telescopic Gear Plus Anvil Lopper has all the same features as the Bypass Lopper, except for the different cutting head.

Finally, only use clean cutting tools in good condition. If the blades are rusty or dirty, or just blunt, it may cause damage when you cut. Blunt blades will crush and bruise the stem instead of cutting it cleanly and rust or dirt can introduce disease to the fresh cut. It is recommended that you clean your tools well after use with a general-purpose lubrication spray. This will extend their lifespan and they will for years. Spray some of the lubricant onto a cloth and clean the blades too. Spray the hinges as well before wiping off excess oil.