#yes he's pruning the tree back and sometimes pruning & shaping quite hard

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The Best Garden Shears, Loppers, and Pruners, According to Experts

Photo: Twentieth Century Fox

With spring in full bloom, and the sun shining down, it’s time to plant. Whether you’re a professional horticulturist or an amateur green thumb, every gardener needs a good pair of shears. From the hobbyist trimming back begonias on the front lawn to the landscape designer sculpting hedges and boxwoods on a big estate, all gardeners are basically looking for the same thing: a sharp, comfortable, durable pair of shears that can accomplish the task at hand and hold up well over time.

You're reading: The Best Garden Shears, Loppers, and Pruners, According to Experts

To find the best tools for any job, we spoke with nine experts who know a thing or two about gardening shears: Bob Fiorello, chief horticulturist at San Francisco Botanical Garden; Laura Mele, horticulturist at the Arnold Arboretum; Kyle Forrest Burns, owner of Nye Ranch; Krista Everage, principal designer of Everage Design, which specializes in interior, garden, and floral design; Kurt Morrell, VP of landscape operations at New York Botanical Garden; Rachel Burlington, curator of the International Rose Test Garden in Portland, Oregon; Caleb Leech, horticultural manager of the Met Cloisters; Valerie Strait, a garden designer based in Brooklyn and Michigan; and Michelle Alfaro, co-owner of Maranta Plant Shop in Milwaukee. Below, their recommendations for the best pruning shears, hedge shears, lopping shears, and garden scissors.

Our experts told us that if you had to choose just one type of garden shear, nothing is more essential than a good “bypass” pruner — or secateur �� which is basically a one-handed pruner with two curved blades. This is the go-to tool for clipping delicate branches and trimming shrubs, perennials, and flowers because the blades are specially designed to give a “clean cut” without tearing the plant tissue. As Morrell puts it: “The cleaner the cut, the quicker a plant heals. The quicker a plant heals, the less susceptible it is to disease.”

Nearly every gardening expert we spoke with mentioned the Swiss-made Felco F2 as the industry standard. “A good gardener or horticulturalist anywhere in the world is most likely going to have a pair of Felcos,” says Morrell. Gardeners prize the F2 for many reasons, but it’s perhaps most famous for its durability. Morrell still has his original pair from 1985. He told us that the NYBG’s School of Professional Horticulture gives a pair of F2’s to every new student. The large handles and strong coiled spring make it the most comfortable pruner on the market, our experts say. They also like that it uses interchangeable blades, which allow the pruner to feel “like new” no matter how old it is. “They’re a staple of every gardener’s tool box,” says Burlington. “I never leave home without mine.”

The Felco F6 or F7 is the same idea as the classic F2, but it’s built for smaller hands. Morrell says the F6’s smaller blade is “nicer for pruning in tighter spots” with roses, for example. Strait uses these herself — “They fit in my small hands,” she says — and has been for the past 25 years.

Corona is an old-standby brand that Morrell, Burlington, and Leech all mentioned. Burlington says that if you want a less expensive bypass pruner that’s still “a quality tool,” the Corona 3180 is a great choice.

Read more: Using A Digging Fork – Learn When To Use Digging Forks In The Garden

Although the F2 is a favorite of the staff at the San Francisco Botanical Garden, Fiorello actually prefers the VS-8 hand pruner from Japanese brand ARS. “They are very good quality stainless steel, they are very easy to clean, and they don’t gum up nearly as much as the Felco,” he says. “Some people refer to ARS as ‘always really sharp,’ and that’s pretty much true.” Mele agrees and calls her ARS pruners “my favorite.” She loves the squeeze-lock feature and finds that her hand “doesn’t fatigue as much” as with other pruners.

Like ARS, Okatsune is a Japanese gardening-tool company with a cultlike following in the States. Leech almost exclusively uses Japanese-made shears at the Met Cloisters Museum. “I just love how Japanese hand tools are built,” he says. Most Japanese hand pruners lock with a latch, which Leech vastly prefers to the “dial lock” used by Felco and many American brands. He says the dial locking mechanism can be “fiddly” and doesn’t always close right away. “I just like simplicity.” While Leech declined to mention a specific brand — per the museum’s policy — we have a strong suspicion this Okatsune pruner is the one he was referring to, since it fits his description and all of the experts we asked confirmed the brand’s reputation. Mele confirms that these Okatsune pruners are a great investment: “A number of people at the arboretum swear by them,” she says.

Everage swears by these pruners for deadheading, trimming, and floral arranging. “They are supercomfortable in the hand,” she says. Plus, “some brands get stuck in the spring, which drives you crazy. With the way the spring is designed, this one stays loose, so it is very quick and you can keep moving.” And you always want to keep moving: “When you are pruning or deadheading, you are in an uncomfortable position a lot of the time, so you want to be as quick and efficient as you can,” she says. Forrest Burns uses this tool exclusively for “flowers and bigger tomato branches” on his farm. “It’s a smaller, delicate pruner, and it offers a lot of finesse,” he says.

While bypass shears are definitely more generally useful, Burlington says a good pair of “anvil shears” is important to have in your kit. Anvil pruners can sometimes crush the branches or stems as they cut, so while you wouldn’t want to use them on living plants that need to heal quickly, they can be really helpful if you want to “deadhead roses” to encourage reblooming or “cut back herbaceous material like annuals and perennials.” Basically, “if you’re looking more for speed than precision,” an anvil pruner is a good choice according to Burlington, who uses these needle-nose hand shears from ARS. “It’s hard to find a good anvil pruner because a lot of time they’re cheaply made. I highly recommend this one.”

According to Alfaro, these anvil pruning shears from Modern Sprout are great for beginners. With pale-blue handles and a lock that integrates seamlessly into those handles’ design, these look a lot nicer than your average garden-shed gear. “I love how neat and clean they cut,” Alfaro says, adding that the pruners are easy to grip and “lightweight and durable,” too.

According to Morrell, these German-made Berger hedge shears are the only model used to trim and shape the many hedges and bushes on the NYBG’s property. His favorite thing about them is the wooden handles. “A lot of homeowners will go for something with rubber handles because they think it’s cushiony, but rubber gets slippery when you sweat. The wood is just more comfortable if you’re working all day long.” Morrell says that while it’s a higher upfront cost to supply all their groundskeepers with these, it ends up being worth it because they almost never need to replace them. “If you go and buy something cheap, it may only last one hedge trimming. If you’re using a tool all day long, you want something that’s durable and that’s going to last. We have pairs that are 15 or 20 years old.” This strong endorsement, coupled with the fact that these shears are also less expensive than the other styles we heard about, led us to give them the title of “best overall.”

“Hedge shears are really geared toward cutting soft fresh growth on a hedge,” says Leech. The long sharp blades are perfect for shaping hedges and even for topiary design. These have wooden handles and the same high-quality construction that Leech values in Japanese garden tools. Leech says the strong steel blades will hold an edge, but “you have to take care of them” by periodically sharpening. That’s all part of the process that Leech appreciates, and it’s key to getting many good years out of these or any other garden shears.

Fiorello and his team are currently transitioning to lithium-powered battery tools for increased efficiency and comfort. “If you have a hedge and you are going to be out there for a while trimming, it can be hard on your wrists, so this lighter weight goes a long way. There’s nothing better than slapping in the battery and going right to work. There are no fumes, no spilling of gasoline, and no cord to have to plug in and deal with,” he says. Plus, it’s good for you and the environment: “It gets people off of using two-cycle fuel mix, especially since it’s such a dirty fuel,” he says. “It’s a no-brainer.” Yes, this is technically a hedge trimmer. But since you would use it for the same purpose as the other shears on this list, we felt it appropriate to include here.

A lopping shear — or “loppers” — comes in handy for “larger woody things,” says Leech. “It’s like a big pair of hand pruners that you can use for large diameter branch.” Morrell is partial to Felco “loppers,” as is Fiorello, who calls Felco a superior tool, perfect “if you are really training a tree or managing shrubs, and you want them to be great cuts.”

For something less expensive, Morrell says Corona “has a good reputation with homeowners.” Mele agrees that the Corona loppers are the best value. And Fiorello says this is the tool he buys for all his staff at San Francisco Botanical Garden. This version, with its aluminum handle, is “very lightweight and very good on the hands. It can do high-end stuff where cuts are critical, but it is also good for everyday general use,” he says. “If I had only one lopper, I would go with the Corona.”

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If you want something even more affordable, Strait recommends these loppers from Fiskars, which she calls “a good company.” She likes that the handle on this pair extends from 25 to 37 inches, making them quite versatile.

The staff at NYBG uses this extendable ARS telescoping pruner when they need to cut hard-to-reach branches or trim a high hedge. “It keeps you from having to get on and off a ladder,” says Morrell.

“My No. 1 tool is actually something more like bonsai scissors or ‘grape scissors,’” says Leech. “We have a ton on hand all the time,” he adds, because they’re perfect for detail work and trimming flowers.

Forrest Burns suggests these hands-free pruning shears for any gardener. “They rest on your two fingers, and you can work with two hands,” he says. “They are a time-saver, but also they are so light and small you hardly even know they are there.”

According to Burns, this portable sharpener “folds up like a little butterfly knife and fits in your pocket.” The tool is double-sided, with one coarse side and one finer side, and he uses it to keep the blades of his shears in prime condition. Mele is another fan, calling this “a gadget worth having.”

While Strait says a simple sharpening stone might be all you need to maintain shears, she told us this sharpener might be easier for beginner gardeners to use, thanks to its ergonomic handle and a built-in finger guard. Made from diamond-honed tungsten carbide, the tool’s blades are designed to sharpen the curved edges of bypass pruners and other gear, like shears, loppers, hoes, shovels, and even lawn-mower blades.

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Source: https://livingcorner.com.au Category: Garden

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Fenoglio got up and went over to her. ‘There, there!’ he said, putting his arms round her and letting her bury her face in his jacket. It was made of rough fabric and smelled of pipe tobacco. ‘I’ll think of something!’ he whispered to Meggie. ‘After all, I invented these villains. It’ll be an odd thing if I can’t get rid of them. Your father had an idea, but …’ Meggie raised her face, wet with tears, and looked at him hopefully, but the old man shook his head. ‘Later. Now, tell me what makes Capricorn so interested in your father. Is it something to do with the way he reads aloud?’ Meggie nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes. ‘He wants Mo to read aloud to him here, to bring someone out of a book, an old friend.’ Fenoglio gave her a handkerchief. A few crumbs of tobacco fell from it when she blew her nose. ‘A friend? Capricorn has no friends.’ The old man frowned. Then Meggie felt him suddenly take a deep breath. ‘Who is it?’ she asked, but Fenoglio just mopped a tear off her cheek. ‘Someone I hope you’ll never meet except between the covers of a book,’ he said evasively. Then he turned and began pacing up and down. ‘Capricorn will be back soon,’ he added. ‘I must think how best to confront him.’ But Capricorn did not come. Darkness fell outside, and still no one had fetched them from their prison. They weren’t even brought anything to eat. It grew cold when the night air came in through the hole in the wall, and they huddled side by side on the hard floor to keep warm. ‘Is Basta still very superstitious?’ Fenoglio asked at some time in the night. ‘Yes, very,’ replied Meggie. ‘Dustfinger likes winding him up about it.’ ‘Good,’ murmured Fenoglio. But he would say no more. 33 Capricorn’s Maid As I never saw my father or my mother … my first fancies regarding what they were like, were unreasonably derived from their tombstones. The shape of the letters on my father’s gave me an odd idea that he was a square, stout, dark man with curly black hair. From the character and turn of the inscription ‘Also Georgiana Wife of the Above’ I drew a childish conclusion that my mother was freckled and sickly. Charles Dickens, Great Expectations Dustfinger set out when the night could grow no darker. The sky was overcast, with not a single star shining. Only the moon showed occasionally between the clouds, as thin as a slice of lemon. Dustfinger was glad of such darkness, but the boy jumped whenever a twig brushed his face. ‘For heaven’s sake, I should have left you with the marten after all!’ Dustfinger snapped as Farid clutched his arm in fright yet again. ‘You’ll give us away yet with your teeth chattering like that. Look ahead of you. That’s what ought to scare you – guns, not ghosts.’ Before them, only a little way off now, lay Capricorn’s village. The new floodlights poured light as bright as day over the grey houses. ‘And they say that this electricity of theirs is a blessing!’ whispered Dustfinger as they skirted the car park. A bored-looking guard was strolling round among the parked vehicles. Yawning, he leaned against the truck in which Cockerell had brought the goats back that afternoon, and put on a pair of earphones. ‘Excellent! An army could march up now and he wouldn’t hear it!’ muttered Dustfinger. ‘If Basta were here he’d discipline the man for that – shut him up in Capricorn’s cowsheds for three days with nothing to eat.’ ‘Why don’t we go over the rooftops?’ All the fear had gone from Farid’s face. The guard with his shotgun didn’t alarm the boy half as much as his imaginary ghosts. Dustfinger could only shake his head over such foolishness. But the rooftop idea wasn’t stupid. A vine that hadn’t been pruned for years grew up one of the houses beside the car park. As soon as the guard wandered over to the other side of the area, swaying in time to the music that was filling his ears, Dustfinger clambered up its woody branches. The boy climbed even better than he did, and proudly offered him a hand once he was up on the roof. They moved on stealthily like stray cats, past chimneys, aerials and Capricorn’s floodlights, which were angled downwards and left everything behind them in the cover of darkness. Once, a shingle came loose under Dustfinger’s boots, but he managed to catch it just in time, before the terracotta tile could fall and break in the street below. When they reached the square where the church and Capricorn’s house stood they let themselves down from a gutter. For a few breathless moments Dustfinger ducked behind a stack of empty fruit crates, looking out for guards. Both the square itself and the narrow alley to one side of Capricorn’s house were bathed in light. A black cat was sitting on the edge of the well outside the church. Basta’s heart would probably have missed a beat at the sight of it, but Dustfinger was much more concerned about the guards outside Capricorn’s house. Two of them were lounging by the entrance. It was one of these, a small, sturdy man, who had found Dustfinger four years ago in a town up in the north, just as he was about to give his last show. He and two companions had dragged the fire-eater back here, where Capricorn had, in his own characteristic way, questioned him about Silvertongue and the book. The two guards were arguing, and as they were so absorbed Dustfinger plucked up his courage, took a few rapid steps, and disappeared down the alley beside Capricorn’s house. Farid followed him, as soundless as his own shadow come to life. Capricorn’s house was a large, bulky building which might once have been the village hall, a disused monastery or a school. All the windows were dark, and there were no other guards to be seen in the alley. But Dustfinger remained watchful. He knew the guards liked to lurk in dark doorways, invisible as ravens at night in their black suits. Indeed, Dustfinger knew almost everything about Capricorn’s village. He had walked these streets often enough since Capricorn brought him here to look for Silvertongue and the book. Whenever he felt the sharp pangs of homesickness he had come back here to his old enemies, where he didn’t feel quite so out of place. Even his fear of Basta’s knife couldn’t keep him away. Dustfinger picked up a flat stone, beckoned Farid to his side, and threw the stone down the alley. Nothing moved. As he had hoped, the guard was doing his rounds. Dustfinger hurried to the high wall behind which Capricorn’s garden lay: vegetable beds, fruit trees and herbs, protected by the wall from the cold wind that sometimes blew from the nearby mountains. Dustfinger had often entertained the maids as they hoed the beds. There were no floodlights in the garden, no guards either – who’d steal vegetables? – and only a door with a grating over it, a door that was locked at night, that led from the yard into the house. The dog kennels lay beyond the wall too, but when Dustfinger swung himself up and over they were empty. The dogs had not come back from the hills. They’d shown more sense than Dustfinger expected, and Basta obviously hadn’t got new dogs yet. Stupid of him. Stupid Basta. Dustfinger signalled to the boy to follow him, and stole past the carefully tended beds until he had reached the back door with the grating. The boy looked at him questioningly when he saw the solid bars, but Dustfinger just laid a finger to his lips and looked up at one of the windows on the second floor. The shutters, black as night, were open. Dustfinger mewed in so lifelike a fashion that several cats answered, but nothing moved behind the window. Dustfinger cursed under his breath, listened to the sounds of the night for a moment, then imitated the shrill cry of a bird of prey. Farid jumped and pressed close to the wall of the house. This time, something did move behind the upstairs window. A woman leaned out of it. When Dustfinger waved to her she waved back – and then quickly disappeared.