Few tools are as useful and practical as pruning shearsNot only are they comfortable to wear, but they'll also help us do all those little jobs that will keep our plants well-cared for and, above all, healthy. But how do we choose one? There are many types, and each one is specifically designed for a specific job; not to mention that we often decide to buy the cheapest ones only to end up having to throw them away because they don't perform as expected.
To prevent this from happening to you, we are going to explain the different types that there are, and we are also going to recommend some. So you will surely be right with the purchase of your pruning shears.
Tips to keep in mind before buying
Bypass scissors
Pruning shears are very useful tools, but we must choose well the one we are going to buy, since depending on what we are going to use it for, we will have to choose to acquire those of one type from another.
For this reason, Before buying any, you have to inform yourself well, see which ones there are, what they are for and if they are ergonomic or not, because gardening work should be carried out in the most comfortable way possible. This article on types of pruning shears It can be very helpful.
Types of pruning shears
There are two types of pruning shears, and they are as follows:
- Sliding or bypass scissors: They are those that have a blade that cuts and a counter blade that holds the branch to be pruned. They are especially recommended for cutting thin green woody stems.
- Anvil scissors: They are the ones that have a cutting blade and an anvil that holds the branch. They are indicated for cutting stalks of hard or dead wood.
In turn, different sub-types are distinguished, depending on several factors that are:
Pole Scissors or Telescopic Scissors
They are indicated to cut tall branches almost effortlessly. You just have to adapt the length of the handle to the height of the branch to be pruned, place the scissors and pull the rope that will make the blade of the scissors close, thus cutting the branch. There are of two kinds:
- With fixed handle, up to 2m high.
- With telescopic handle, up to 5m high.
One scissors for each branch
Depending on the thickness of the branch, it will be easier for us to cut it with scissors or others. So, if it measures 2,5 cm or less, we can choose to use one-handed pruning shears; while if it measures 4-5 cm, the ideal option would be to opt for two-handed pruning shears. To learn more about caring for your tools, check out our recommendations on maintenance of pruning shears.
Pruning shears according to the plant
Depending on the type of plant that we are going to prune, we will have to opt for some scissors or others. Thus, we must bear in mind that:
Trees
Pruning should be done with two-handed shears, and with a handle if the pruners have reached a certain height. We recommend the following:
Ready telescopic pruning shears with handle up to 1,5m
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Draper 33855
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Shrubbery
It is advisable to prune them with one-handed shears using an anvil shears, as these plants have branches that do not exceed 2,5 cm in thickness. The following are highly recommended:
Acorn 3512-21
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Felco 7
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Bonsai
They are pruned with one-handed pruning shears, since it is necessary to make the most perfect cuts possible, as for example with which we will obtain using these:
Sienna Garden 603130
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Tweezing scissors
Flowers
They have to be cut with scissors that have long and thin blades, so that the cut is clean, like these:
Acorn 3520
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Welcut HC862
Hedges
They are pruned with two-handed scissors, with or without a handle (depending on their height), such as these:
Altuna J442 - Aluminum scissors with 69cm handle
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Bahco M33542
Electric pruning shears
They are the last to have hit the market. Although they are expensive, make pruning work easy and done in no time. And the best thing is that they are available with or without handle, anvil and bypass. The most advisable are:
Makita
Yatek
Maintenance or how to get an excellent cut for years
When we acquire a tool it is very, very important to take good care of them, since otherwise they will fulfill their mission for a very short time. So, regardless of what it cost us, we must ensure that we keep them in the best possible condition. How do you get that? Very easy:
- We will clean the scissors after each use. For this, we can use a dishwasher, which will also serve to disinfect them.
- We will sharpen the blades with a scissors sharpener, or with sandpaper.
- So that they do not lose mobility, it is advisable to lubricate them with a special lubricant for pruning shears.
- We will keep this tool in a cover specifically designed for them, in a clean and dry place.
We hope that you can now more easily choose the pruning shears you need .
Very good article!
Thanks a lot. We are glad that you liked it 🙂