Buying Guide

Best Pruning Tools for Your Plants

Pruning is heavy work and involves repetitive motion, so finding the right tool is very important.

Tip: Use larger tools like loppers and saws to remove large tree branches.

Types

There are three basic pruners:

Anvil Pruners. Features a single straight blade that uses a splitting action to cut down on a stem or branch.
Ratchet Pruners. Similar to anvil pruners, but features a mechanism that cuts in stages. Works well for people who have problems with wrist strain.
Bypass Pruners. Acts like scissors with two curved blades that make a nice, clean cut. Works well on green and growing stems.

Pruning Tips

Cut diseased stems back to where the healthy wood starts
Disinfect the blade between cuts with bleach and water when pruning diseased plants
First cut off dead branches at the base when cutting shrubs or trees
Cut just above the leaf bud on the outside of shrub branches
Get rid of branches growing at narrow angles to main, vertical branches

When to Prune

Tool Selection

Consult the chart below to learn about available tool types and their applications:

Comparison of Tool Types

	Description	Recommended For
Shears - Fiskars - Floral Scissors & Snips	Anvil Pruner	Dead twigs and branches Diameters of 5/8" or less Examples: rosebushes, hydrangea, butterfly bushes
floral scissors & snips	Bypass Pruner	Live stems and branches Diameters of 5/8" or less Examples: rosebushes, raspberry bushes, lilacs, snipping flowers or herbs
hedge shears	Hedge Shears	Hedges and small shrubs, evergreens, deadheading perennials Diameters of 2-1/4" or less Examples: any kind of hedge shrub
loppers	Lopper	Medium to large branches Diameters of 2-1/2" or less Examples: fruit trees, vines, nut trees
cordless pole saws	Pole Pruner	Dead wood out of trees Diameters of 1-1/4" or less Examples: any kind of tree
pruning saws	Pruning Saw	Medium to large low-hanging branches Diameters of 1-1/2" or more Examples: any kind of large shrub or tree
tree pruners	Tree Pruner	Smaller tree branches -- eliminates need for ladder Diameters of 1-1/4" or less Examples: any kind of tree

Features

Grass Shears. Look like heavy-duty scissors and are used to trim grass around trees, flower beds and shrubbery.
Pruning Saw Blades. Come with different style blades to help attack a wide range of different branches.
Power Shears. Operate using gas or electricity and make hedge trimming easier and quicker.