Tools for cutting trees and shrubsare primarily secateurs and garden saws. Less popular, but also useful are hedge trimmers, garden knives, necessary, among others. when cutting shoots for cuttings or ladders, without which it is impossible to reach the highest branches of trees. See exactly what the individual garden cutting tools are used for and what to consider when buyingtools for cutting trees and shrubs
Tools for cutting trees and shrubs - secateurs
Cutting trees and shrubsis one of the most important care works in the garden.Unfortunately, this activity can also be quite complicated. In our guide, we have already discussed the topic of plant cutting in the articles cutting ornamental trees and shrubs and cutting fruit trees and shrubs. However, the correct cutting technique is not enough. You will not achieve the expected effect without goodtools for cutting trees and shrubs
Fortunately, getting the right equipment is not difficult. There is a huge selection of garden cutting tools in the stores and basically the only limitation is the price you can accept. However, this large selection of tools can be troublesome. Whichtree and shrub cutting toolsto choose? What is the purpose of each type of tool? And finally, what determines their quality and for which is it worth paying more? If you are asking yourself these questions, please read the following text.
Gardening knives
Knives are the easiest to use, basiccutting tools . They are perfect for cutting thin shoots, collecting seedlings, harvesting vegetables and herbs, and are also indispensable for grafting and budding garden trees and shrubs.
Tools for cutting trees and shrubs - garden knife
Depending on your needs, you can choose a general purpose knife or a special knife for specific activities. Here are the basic types of garden knives:
- Krzesak- its blade is bent downwards, which makes it easier to cut,
- strainer- knife with a straight blade intended for grafting, also perfect as a general purpose knife,
- goblet- a knife with a special blade, shaped to facilitate the spreading of the bark and placing the eye during budding.
The blades of good knives are made of carbon steel. They can be stationary or folded (this makes them easier to carry, a knife with a folding blade can be safely put in your pocket during gardening). However, in the case of a knife with a movable blade, check that the blade opens comfortably and that it is firmly seated in the handle.
Note! To prolong the life of the knife, clean it after each use and wipe it with an oiled cloth. The blades of the knife also need to be sharpened regularly. Remember that well-sharpened blades do not fray cut shoots, so cutting wounds heal faster. Do the same with secateurs and shears!
Garden shears
The shears are used for cutting a hedge, cutting very tall grass (or grass growing in places difficult to reach for a mower), as well as for decorative cutting of plants and cutting out herbaceous plants. For cutting grass and herbaceous plants, the easiest-to-use scissors can be usedone-handed scissorsFor cutting thicker shoots and woody parts of plants you will needtwo-handed scissorswith one of the blades indentation to facilitate holding the cut shoot. As a rule, garden shears have straight, smooth blades. However, you can also find scissors with wavy blades. Hedge trimmers with such blades cut woody shoots and branches better, but sharpening them is very complicated.
Tools for cutting trees and shrubs - secateurs
Traditional secateurs
Secateurs are more convenient for cutting twigs than knives. Secateurs are quite versatiletools for cutting shrubs , thin shoots of trees, caring for perennials, vegetables and herbs, as well as cutting flowers into a vase. Traditional secateurs work well for cutting non-woody shoots of plants and woody branches up to 1 cm thick. The cutting part of the secateurs consists of a blade and a so-called steel workers. The shear bar can be sharp (knife-shaped or parrot-shaped) - then the pruning shears work like a shear. The secateurs can also have a flat shear - wider and thicker, specially profiled to hold the cut shoot.
Cutting with secateursis performed holding the tool in one hand (with the other hand you can hold the cut shoot). Therefore, pay attention to how the handles of the secateurs are shaped.Remember that you will use it often, so it must be comfortable. When in the store, check how the secateurs fit in your hand. Ask the seller to give you a fragment of the shoot for trial cutting and test how the tool works. Remember that metal handles are cold and unpleasant to the touch (it is also easier to get fingerprints on your hands). Therefore, choose secateurs with plastic-coated handles.
The quality of the pruning shears blades will determine the accuracy of the cut and the strength of the pruning shears. The cheapest pruner is enough for cutting flowers and non-lignified shoots. But if you also cut woody twigs, don't spare your money forsecateurs with good bladesThe blades can be made of stainless steel, carbon steel or coated steel. Coated blades will be easier to keep clean, but unfortunately they won't last as long as stainless steel or carbon steel blades. Some secateurs have replaceable blades.
Also make sure that the secateurs you buy have a ratchet or a stirrup protecting against accidental opening.The color of the handles is also important. If the secateurs have bright red handles, it will be easier for you to find it if you leave it in the grass under the bushes.
Two-handed secateurs
If you want to trim branches higher than you can reach, you will need a special two-handed secateurs with extended handles. Such a secateurs allows you to cut thicker twigs - up to 2.5 cm (thanks to the extended handles we obtain greater cutting force). You can also easily get to branches located closer to the center of a dense bush. Since you will often hold such a tool over your head, it must not only be durable, but also light and well-balanced.Two-handed secateurscan be equipped with different blades, just like traditional secateurs. In addition, gears that allow you to adjust the cutting force are often found here. In such a tool, fenders that protect fingers and wrists against injuries will also be necessary.
Tools for cutting trees and shrubs - two-hand pruner
Pole secateurs
"You can reach even higher branches thanks to the use ofpole secateursSuch secateurs are equipped with a pole, i.e. a telescopic boom (the so-called giraffe) with an adjustable length. The blades of such secateurs are moved by a cord running along the boom. It is good if the pole at the end (from the side of the blade) has a special bend that allows it to be hooked on the cut branch. Thanks to this you will find a stable support for the secateurs and you will use less force to hold it. "
Garden saws
"To trim thicker branchesthe secateurs will be insufficient. When you cut branches over 2.5 cm thick, you will need to use a saw. In the home garden and on the plot, the most useful will behand sawsThey are available in various shapes and sizes, so that you can cut in different positions without injuring the branches lying next to the cut branch.The handles of the hand saws are made of wood or plastic. Before buying, check that the saw fits well in your hand. Here are the basic types of hand saws: "
- regular saw- has a straight blade, usually not longer than 45 cm, it can be used to cut densely growing shoots at different angles,
- fox tail- has a curved blade which allows you to conveniently cut thickened branches, when cutting with such a saw, you make sliding movements, not pressing hard on the cut shoot,
- saw with a folding blade- this solution makes it easier to carry the saw, after hiding the blade you can put it in your pocket to, for example, reach for the secateurs,
In addition to hand saws,frame saws(with a handle) can also be used. They will be useful for cutting even thicker branches. These saws have replaceable blades. The blades are too hard to sharpen and should be replaced when the blade becomes dull.It is advantageous when the frame is strongly tapered on one side, which makes it easier to work in hard-to-reach places.
Among both ordinary hand saws and frame saws, you can find models adapted to be mounted on telescopic poles. As with pole secateurs, this solution facilitates access to high branches without having to climb a ladder.
Garden ladders
Ladders are obviously nottools for cutting trees and shrubsHowever, they often turn out to be indispensable when cutting, especially if you do not have a pruner or a saw on an extension arm. Traditional wooden ladders have been replaced by aluminum ladders, which, although they are more expensive, are much lighter and often have additional accessories. A ladder for gardening work must be light and easy to move. For this reason, the aluminum ladder turns out to be unrivaled.Garden laddermust be double-sided (have its own support).You won't be able to lean it against the wall while you're working between trees. Leaning a ladder against tree trunks and branches is also not a good idea, as the branch may break unexpectedly. It is also important that the steps of the ladder are not slippery, even when they get wet, which is easy to do in the garden. The steps should therefore be rough, with indentations, or covered with a suitable, rough material to prevent slippage. The base of the ladder must be secured against digging into soft garden soil (special skids help). On the other hand, when the soil in the garden is hard and compacted, tips screwed to the legs of the ladder will be useful. By digging into the ground, the points increase the ladder's stability.
