The right tools key to pruning

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Pruning is an activity that most gardeners associate with winter, and most gardeners have trees, or at least a shrub or two, that may benefit from some pruning. There is a tool made for every pruning job, and using the right tool is the first step to successful pruning.

Hand pruners or pruning shears are good for branches up to three-quarters of an inch in diameter. Attempting to cut larger branches often results in making a poor cut and/or ruining your shears.

There are two types of hand pruners, based on the blade style and cutting action. The first is the scissor or bypass action. In the scissor action, a thin, sharp blade slides closely past a thicker sharp blade. The scissor action pruners usually cost more but make cleaner, closer cuts, especially on living branches. The second is the anvil action, where a sharpened blade cuts against a broad, flat plate. While this style doesn't make the close cuts of the scissor action pruner, its splitting action makes it useful for cutting dry branches and stems.

When buying a hand pruner, test it in your hand to make sure you can hold it comfortably. You shouldn't feel like you're stretching your hand to either open or close the pruner. If they are too large or small, too heavy or too hard to squeeze, try another style or brand. If you're left-handed, there are models designed to fit your left hand.

Some hand pruners are specially designed to make pruning easier. Ratcheting action pruners feature a gear-driven cutting action that is easier on your arm and hand muscles. These are especially useful if your grip is not strong, because they cut with comparatively little pressure. Another relatively new innovation in hand pruners is a rotating handle feature. The handle curves your fingers toward your palm as it cuts, reducing hand fatigue.

Lopping shears or loppers are pruners with long handles that are operated with both hands, providing extra reach and more leverage for cutting branches up to about 2 inches in diameter. Loppers are great for trimming trees and bushes and typically feature one sharp blade for cutting and one flat or curved blade to hold the branch in place.

Pruning saws are very useful for branches too large to cut with hand pruners or loppers. A typical pruning saw features a straight or curved blade and will cut on the pull stroke (as you pull back.) The teeth of the saw are set wider apart to keep it from getting caught while cutting through the wood. You can purchase pruning saws with folding blades that protect the teeth and make them easy to carry around.

Pole pruners are made to reach higher and generally smaller tree limbs. The cutting mechanism is similar to a loppers, usually with a hooked or flat blade that holds the branch and a cutting blade to do the trimming. Some pole pruners are also fitted with a pruning saw opposite the pruning blades.

Ed Perry, a farm adviser with the UC Cooperative Extension, can be contacted at 525-6800 or ejperry@ucdavis.edu.