(Cutting with the tips of the blades can bend them.) Take a similar approach with an anvil lopper: Catch the branch on the anvil, get it as deep into the jaws as possible, then crunch the handles together. Hook the branch with the bill of the bypass lopper, maneuver it as deep into the jaws as you can, then close the handles. Keep your wrists straight (if you wear a brace for sports, you should also wear it for pruning), and don gloves to protect your hands from blisters and thorns. Don’t work directly overhead - that way a cut branch can’t fall on you. Pruning is hard work, so take a comfortable stance with your feet apart. | Photo by Monica Stevenson Pruner and Lopper Use and Care The pocket-size tool is also handy for cutting branches into manageable pieces.īecause bypass pruners get so much use, spring for a well-made tool like this one, with ergonomic handles and blades that move smoothly. Rather than try to work a thick tree shoot into the jaws of a lopper, reach for a folding saw. The wide anvil prevents close cuts, but the jaws won’t jam up with wood shards the way a bypass pruner can. Let a rough-cutting anvil lopper do the grunt work of chopping off thicker dead branches (up to 2 inches) or trimming back live ones before you make the final cut with bypass loppers.Īn anvil pruner can snip away dead twigs and branches up to ½ inch. Not good for: live branches, because anvil crushes soft stems These cuts must be as clean as possible to maintain the plant’s health, so keep the blade sharp.īlade chops against soft plate, usually metalīest for: chopping dead shoots and branches
Use bypass pruners on living stems ½ inch or less in diameter, as when cutting fresh flowers, pruning roses or raspberries, or snipping herbs from the garden. The long handles give you more leverage, so you can cut bigger stems - up to 1 ½ inches - with less effort. Not good for: dry, dead branches, which can get jammed between the blades, bending themĬhoose bypass loppers when you want to trim back an overgrown shrub or tree that’s healthy. | Photo by Monica Stevenson Types of Prunersīlade and bill slide past each other like scissorsīest for: close, clean cuts on live branches
#Small anvil too little material plus
This model has telescoping metal handles that extend from 25 to 38 inches, plus a compound-action mechanism, which further increases the power you put into the cut. But the best way to keep things comfortable whenever you go out to prune is to wear gloves and make sure your tools are clean and sharp. Certain tools, like those with compound-action gears, will make the task easier. Pruning can be heavy, repetitive work, and trying to take too big a bite with the wrong tool is the quickest way to increase your own weariness and frustration while also shortening the life of your equipment. “You’ll be able to manage most pruning chores with that set of tools,” Roger says. For chopping dead branches, you’ll want to add an anvil lopper (about $30), which has a blade that hits against a soft plate, and a folding saw (about $20) for slicing through thick branches. “You can use them for everything, so it’s worth investing about $50 for a good pair cheaper ones can fall apart with all the use.” Because bypass blades sweep past each other like scissors, they’re best for making clean cuts in living wood. “The first tool you should buy is a pair of bypass pruners,” says Roger Cook, This Old House landscape contractor.
With the right assortment of pruners and loppers (pruners are one-handed tools, loppers require two hands), you can keep any plant healthy and well manicured, from rosebushes and shrubs to privacy hedges and small trees. If you’ve got even one shrub, sooner or later you’ll need to remove unruly growth and dead or injured branches.
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