As an avid gardener, keeping your garden looking exceptional should be your number one priority. As such, you require the right gardening tools to make your job easier. Gardening and pruning shears make it possible to care for your garden by giving it a look you desire.
When it comes to using gardening tools, you must find the right shears. Pruning and gardening shears are termed as beautification tools. Why is that so? Because they improve the aesthetic of your garden. They function by cutting and trimming branches, making the entire garden look extremely attractive. Pruning shears are critical for they shape plants keeping your garden clean, neat, and tidy.
Why use gardening and pruning shears
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Your garden will require pruning at some point. That’s where pruning shears come in. To make your gardening work manageable, you have to choose a good model. You will save gardening time once you get the right pair. With the right gardening and pruning shears, you can make all the difference in your garden cut after cut.
Pruners act as secateurs and can turn unruly bush into a masterpiece. They nicely fit in your hands, making working on your garden a breeze. With the right pair, you get to clip out damaged foliage and shape plants. Your garden will stand out once you give it a beautiful shape by using the best pruning shears.
The market offers a wide range of gardening and pruning shears, making it quite challenging to pick the ideal one. However, what you have to understand is the different shears for pruning and shears for gardening. With that in mind, you will be able to make an informed choice.
Let us look at some of the best garden shears 2020 and pruners 2020 available in the market;
1. Bypass pruners
They resemble scissors. Bypass pruners are designed with double blades that close over a branch that you intend to cut. These are the best pruners due to the clean-cut they deliver. If you intend to have a smooth finish, this is the pruner to use. However, if you don’t use this pruner well, it can damage the plant.
You will find two blades on this pruner; one is at the top and extremely sharp. The lower blade is not sharp but helps in completing the cut. The two blades work by bypassing one another; that is why they are called bypass pruners. These shears are not technical, making them easy to use. They deliver exceptional results, for they leave your garden looking beautiful.
Bypass pruners have been designed for both right-handed and left-handed people. The handles are curvy and soft molded to deliver an outstanding job. Their prices are not exaggerated hence quite affordable.
2. Needle-nose pruners
This is a pruner that comes with an elongated long needle nose. It is ideal for pruning into your plants and deliver exceptional cuts. The pruner comes with straight blades with a double-ground cutting edge that provides outstanding cuts.
Needle-nose pruners have a comfortable grip, thanks to the PVC that covers the handles. If your hand is small-sized, this is the perfect pruner for you. It does not cost much hence quite affordable.
What sets needle-nose pruners apart is that they are multi-purpose. They can be utilized for various uses in your garden. This is a remarkable tool that should never miss in your garden shed. You can use it to prune small plants and fruit bushes.
3. Pruners
You will find one sharpened blade on anvil pruners. This pruner acts as a sharp knife crushing through branches with ease. The sharp blade is usually on one side while the other side is used as a board. When cutting a plant, the blade side cuts evenly as it directs to the board side.
Anvil pruners are suitable for pruning parts of a plant that you don’t need. If your plant has dead branches, use this pruner that does more crushing than cutting. You cannot cut green parts of a plant with this pruner because it can crush them. Be keen to cut stems and branches that are dead hence snap easily.
The best part about this pruner is they can handle thick branches. All you have to do is use immense pressure on both sides of the pruner. Learn the basics of using an anvil pruner to enjoy the benefits it comes with.
4. Thinning shears
This type of shears resembles scissors used by hairdressers. They are small yet firm, made from durable forged steel. You can use these shears in your flower garden, for they are designed to cut delicate plants. Though thinning shears have an average size, the blades are a bit short. Such a design is perfect for handling shrubs, small trees, and spent flowers.
An adjustable pivot is availed in thinning shears that guarantees ease of use. The steel blades of this pruner will not disappoint, for they are designed to last for years. They give a clean cutting to your plants because of its exceptional cutting action. These shears come with forged steel handles that offer a comfortable grip when cutting plants.
You will be attracted to the long narrow blades that these shears come with. This is in addition to a rounded tip that gets too hard to reach areas. Mind you that does not damage the plant, which is what you desire to keep your garden looking fabulous.
5. Hedge shears
Hedge shears resemble large scissors. They are used to cut several small branches at a time. These shears are meant to shape hedges whose shape is not well defined. The shear’s long blades deliver long cuts enabling you to finish your task fast.
These shears are designed with locking pivot bolts for better performance. Its tubular handles offer comfort, which is in addition to an ergonomic design. You can cut through quite thick branches with these shears thanks to the hollow-ground blades.
Don’t worry about the comfortability of the handles because they have rubber grips. You will love the blades’ design, which comes in diverse shapes, either curved, wavy, straight-edged, or serrated. The blades offer a clean cut when the two handles meet.
6. Ratchet Pruners
A ratchet pruner is designed with a dull, flat side but comes with a sharp blade perfect for cutting. To use this pruner, press the sharp side against a branch or stem as the dull side keeps holding as you cut. When you press onto the branch, a clicking sound is made.
When using this pruner, you must apply pressure to ensure that the handles are squeezed together correctly. This pruner works exceptionally well if you are working on large branches. Please don’t use this pruner on delicate plants like roses because it can crush them. Ratchet pruners work well when dealing with thick branches.
If you feel like you have an overwhelming job handling your garden, worry no more because ratchet shears will change that narrative. When working on your garden seems like a tough job, these shears will make that job easy because of its ability to handle such tasks. You can handle these shears if you have weak wrists or if they are injured.
7. Pole runners
When trimming high trees seems problematic, turn to pole runners. These are shears that cut branches of tall trees safely without the need for a ladder. Pole runners come with long handles and are usually controlled by a rope. Well, because of their technicality, these shears can only be used by experts.
The blades of pole runners are extra-sharp, making trimming seem like a walk in the park. As a gardener and your job entail thinning woods, consider using pole runners for efficient results. If you are a novice and haven’t tried this pruner before, it would be better if you avoided using it.
The cutting power of pole runners resembles that of hand pruners the difference is they trim trees up to 8 inches. This garden tool works best if you are dealing with height to reach the farthest places. Pole runners are perfect for the thinning growth of a mature tree to give it an ideal shape.
8. Electric pruning shears
These are efficient gardening and pruning shears that are battery-powered. Notably, both manual and electric garden shears work differently. The electric shears are exceptional because of their ability to deliver smooth and efficient cuts. Electronic pruning shears are equipped with a powerful motor that ensures efficiency when cutting branches.
The electric pruning shears are equipped with several blades that are incredibly sharp for exceptional performance. These blades come with different cutting capacities with the ability to cut both branches and stems. Even though they are electronic, these shears are affordable, and the price matches their performance.
No matter the gardening job you have, these shears will tackle it without challenges. These shears’ convenience makes it possible to use it in various locations because you can put all its components in a case. They make cutting easier because of their ease of use, making you save precious time.
9. Parrot Beak Shears
If you have come across shears having two blades shaped like a parrot’s beak, they are parrot beak shears. These garden shears cut stems once the concave blade and convex blade meet at the center. They trap stems as they cut, making them perfect for a plant having thin stems.
Parrot beak shears crush branches because of their powerful blades. They are not new in the market; they have been used in the past for gardening tasks. People who deal with flowers have made these shears their perfect tool, for they are excellent in flower cutting.
You can compare these shears to bypass shears because of their thin blades. If your garden is full of roses, this is the ideal shear to use. Parrot beak shears are reliable and leave your garden looking exquisite with every use.
10. Basic pruning shears
If you have tasked yourself with cutting through small stems and branches, basic pruning shears should be your choice. They can also cut twigs and prune any small plant. These shears work exceptionally well for plants that are not beyond ¾” in diameter.
You cannot begin pruning a tree without using the best pruning shears 2021. They work perfectly well when working on vegetable plants and flowers like roses. The best part about basic pruning shears is they can handle any pruning job with ease.
You will find two blades attached to these pruning shears. The two blades work concurrently when trimming or pruning plants. However, it would be best to cut only thin branches with these shears, for they are incapable of handling thick branches. You can use them for grooming your garden to bring out that manicured look. Always remember to adjust and realign your shears and pruners to keep them working efficiently.
11. Lopper shears
Lopper shears are basically hand pruners designed with long handles. The handles give you an advantage of pruning branches that are at a far distance. This also means that lopper shears can work on slightly large branches. The downside of these shears is they tend to be cumbersome because of the long handles.
Your pruning tasks cannot be complete without using lopper shears. Once its blades are open, they can cut through thick wood without any challenge. Remember that you need the right tools to make your gardening work easy; that is why lopper shears come in handy.
Because these shears can be quite tiresome when handling, you can choose the best ones that fit your hands with comfort. Choose lopper shears that you can afford without overstretching your budget. The best part is no matter the cost, quality loppers will give you exceptional service to last you for years.
12. Floral pruners
Suppose you have handled a traditional pruner before you will realize that floral pruners are designed a bit smaller than the traditional ones. Their cutting capacity exceeds that of a snip. Your flower garden will have a new face once you use floral pruners to cut flowers and do light pruning.
For your garden to have healthy growth, there is a need to use floral pruners. This pruning tool removes thorns as well as performs deadheading of flowers. Its design resembles a bypass pruner and is equipped with sharp steel blades that cut with precision.
When using a floral pruner, you will note that it does not gum up with debris. Ever wondered why? The reason is its low-friction coating, which makes the blade glide smoothly through every cut. It is designed with a stem stripper that is ideal for leaves removal. This pruner comprises a spring that opens up the blades with every cut preventing your hand from experiencing fatigue.
13. Multi-snips
This is a unique gardening tool that is strongly built to handle all the garden tasks. Multi-snips are multi-purpose, meaning they can do a variety of functions. Talk of pruning to deadheading flowers and cutting thick branches. The jaws of this tool are strong; no wonder they can handle all kinds of tasks.
Multi-snips handles are designed with stainless-steel sheets, usually bent to form an S shape. That makes this gardening tool to comprise of inside-opening and outside-opening blades. This tool can be termed as a utility knife that offers versatility.
No matter the cutting task your garden requires, multi-snips can work through it efficiently. The snips are lengthy, making the whole tool appear longer. This provides leverage to a multi-snip making it cut through thick branches with ease.
14. Pruning snips
Of all the gardening tools, pruning snips tends to be the smallest in size. They are lightweight and can be used in a vast area in your garden without causing fatigue. Pruning snips deliver precise cuts, giving your garden a smooth finish.
Pruning snips are the best being that they shape your plant to give that the look you desire. Not only that, but they are also useful in trimming small plants and deadheading. They are perfect when cutting flowers to be used for display indoors.
What you may not know about pruning snips is that they are a combination of secateurs and scissors. That gives pruning snips a great advantage because of the combination, which ensures high performance. They are must-have tools that your garden will benefit from.
15. Veggie and herb shears
You may have a garden full of vegetables and herbs but don’t know the right tool to use. Worry not because you are in the right place for answers. To keep your garden blossoming, you need to invest in veggie and herb shears. They are perfect for trimming herbs and cutting through vegetables.
These shears do not bruise or tear the plant apart. They cut through the plant, gently removing the unwanted parts. A spring mechanism is equipped in these shears making using them seem effortless. You will not consume a lot of energy when using these shears because of their flexibility.
Veggie and herb shears are constructed with stainless steel blades that deliver even and clean cuts. If your plant is young with delicate leaves, you have nothing to worry about because these shears will not cause any bruises. You will also find a herb stripper in the blade of these shears that sets leaves apart from woody herb stems.
16. Floral snips
As a gardener, your toolbox is incomplete if it lacks floral snips. Even though many people confuse this tool with the usual pruners, it is meant for a different function. It works perfectly when deadheading flowers and cutting herbs.
Floral snips are ideal if you are looking for tools to work on fragile flowers. They trim soft stems without causing breakage. These snips are incredibly lightweight and can be used daily with ease. They are also comfortable due to their capacity to fit perfectly into your hands.
This is an essential garden tool with a sharp blade for cutting through thick stems. The blade remains sharp regardless of the times it’s used. If you have a garden full of flowers, investing in floral snips would be a wise decision.
17. Saws
When it comes to pruning your garden, you require the perfect tool to guarantee excellent results. One such tool is a pruning saw that prunes branches from tall trees. It has sharp teeth similar to a saw that cut any kind of stem or branch.
The market offers several pruning saws whereby each works on a specified stem or branch. These saws are hard pointed with heat-treated teeth to cut through large shrubs. Having that pruning saws are of different types and sizes, it is prudent that you make use of a saw that matches your task.
Handling pruning saws requires strength and control. Note that this saw is constructed to work on thick branches hence the need to be cautious. If you are not strong enough, it is better to avoid using a pruning saw and choose another tool for a different task.
Conclusion
With the right gardening shears 2020, any work you desire in your garden can be done effectively. It all comes down to investing in the appropriate gardening and pruning shears, which guarantee high performance.
Every time you want to do away with dead stems or branches, having the right gardening tool makes all the difference. Take your time to find a suitable tool that will deliver quality work to make your garden stand out. Make an informed purchase to ensure that your money does not go to waste.
Frequently Asked Questions
Having a garden means that gardening and pruning shears are a part of you, for they help maintain and improve your garden. Let’s take a look at some of the questions you will encounter in the gardening field.
- Are regular scissors suitable for cutting plants?
It is not recommended that you use regular scissors to cut grass. Get a pair of sharp garden scissors that work remarkably well in cutting the plant safely.
- When is the best to trim trees?
Trim your trees in the springtime, but you should do this before blooming begins. Take your time to ensure that your trees are well-trimmed during this season of the year.
- Can I cut off dying leaves?
Absolutely! Once you notice that your plant has brown leaves or dead leaves, pluck them off. You can use your hands to pluck them or use a gardening tool that will not hurt the entire plant.
- Can pruning hurt a plant?
Yes, pruning can indeed hurt a plant, but the good news is the wound caused will not affect the plant’s health. This means your plant will continue growing healthy as healing takes place naturally.
- Is there a way to make oleanders bushy?
Indeed! What you have to do is trim branches carefully right above a leaf node. That will stimulate new and healthy growth. Ensure you prune your oleander from time to time, and before you know it, it will be bushy.
How should I clean my tools?
You can read this comprehensive and informative article on how to clean your grass, pruning, and hedge shears.
