General Advice

Secateurs, secateurs, secateurs.

What is your most important garden tool?Secateurs, secateurs, secateurs!

There are three main types of secateurs – Anvil, Bypass and Snips.

Anvil secateurs have an upper blade that is typically sharp both sides and cuts down onto a flat or curved lower 'anvil'.  This anvil can be all metal or contain a hard plastic insert.  The action is much like a guillotine or a knife on a chopping board.  With the blade sharp on both sides, pruning harder stems is easier.  For tougher or woodier stems, a pair of anvil secateurs is recommended.  Anvil secateurs are good for both right and left handers.  The top handle is flat and the safety latch is in a central position.

Most ratchet secateurs are of the anvil design.  Many experienced (mature) gardeners find the ratchet anvil secateurs very useful.  They are great for getting through thicker and harder stems although it may take a little longer.  Ratchet secateurs are extremely popular with gardeners with tendonitis, arthritis and/or those with declining strength.  It will take less effort (approximately 30%) to operate ratchet secateurs.

Bypass secateurs have a curved shaped blade, sharp only on the outer edge and cuts down beside the anvil (non-sharp hook).  The anvil or hook on bypass secateurs is typically thinner than anvil secateurs.Bypass secateurs are the most common type of secateurs.  They are used for pruning live stems and where you need to make sharp, precise cuts.  They are more suitable for cutting softer living stems as the blade cuts all the way through the stem.  Bypass secateurs can cut smaller stems closer to a larger stem.  Due to this functionality nursery people will typically use bypass secateurs.

Most bypass secateurs are designed for right handers with a tapered handle, with the outside edge of the blade on the right side and safety latch controlled by the right thumb.  Harder or dead stems may cause the stem to bend rather than be cut and get caught between the blade and the hook.  This can cause the two sections to separate resulting in damage to your secateurs.  This will typically happen to cheaper brands or when the blade is blunt. 

For left handers the tapered handle, blade and latch are all on the opposite side.

Snips have a scissor-like action.  Like scissors the blades are longer and pointier.  However, they are better than scissors because they have a spring.  Snips are ideal for dead heading, picking flowers and herbs, thinning growth in foliage and propagation.  Snips are typically used by florists, nurseries and for finer work such as bonsai.

In summary - a good quality pair of secateurs with a sharp blade is recommended.  It is our recommendation to purchase what you can afford and be mindful that you “get what you pay for”.  $30 to $60 should get you a good quality pair.  To select the correct pair of secateurs for you, we recommend checking the cutting action, the size of the secateurs compared to your hand size, the weight of the tool compared to your strength and finally the availability of spare parts.

1. Buy what you can afford. Take heed of the saying "You get what you pay for!"  Doesn't mean you have to buy the most expensive item but consider your gardening needs.
2. Try before you buy.  Not always possible but if you see someone selling tools take the opportunity to touch, feel and even cut some plant material.  A good retailer will have a selection of tools for you to select from.  A Garden Show is a good time to compare tools.  If you can't try before you buy (on-line purchase) then at least check the length and weight of the tool, and the size it will cut.  Measure your current tools to compare.
3. Check availability of spare parts.  Think sustainability. We've become a throw-away society, but we don't need to.  A good pruning tool supplier should have all the spare parts.
4. Warranty -what does this mean?  Warranties are intended to cover you if there is a fault in the item in terms of manufacturing and assembling of the parts. If something is going to go wrong, it is likely to be in the first few uses.  If someone is offering a lifetime warranty you really need to check what it covers - blade (normally not), spring, nuts and bolts, handles?  What is the difference between normal wear and a manufacturing fault when the product is say five years old?
5. Buy something suitable for you.  Try this checklist:

• Size - for example, if purchasing secateurs, do they fit nicely in the hand.  Whilst you might want to cut a big stem it is no good buying a large pair of secateurs if you can't get your hand around it.
• Weight - with the modern materials of plastics and aluminium it is possible to get many lightweight products suitable for your needs.  Hold the product for a while as if you are trimming a hedge, or lopping a branch, and determine if you can manage the tool.
• Mechanical advantage - many products today have gear actions or ratchet mechanisms to make the task easier.  If you have some tendonitis or arthritis, then consider these options.
• Reach - many items are extendable however this will add to the weight.  Check what you need to cut and if possible, keep your feet on the ground.  There are many light-weight extendable poles with pruning and saw attachments.

1. Wipe the tool dry after use.  Blades and other parts are made from steel and will quickly rust with moisture.
2. Clean with a 70:30 ratio of Methylated Spirit: Water mixture.  This will clean and disinfect the blades.  Use a small brass brush to scrub the more stubborn saps.  The brass brush is soft and will not damage the blade or other parts.  There are many commercial products available on the market including WD30 cleaner - a citrus based foam cleaner.
3. Sharpen as required.  Each time you sharpen you are removing metal from your blade so when you are not getting a nice easy clean cut, then it is time to sharpen. Sharpening devices include whetstones, diamond files, sandpaper and tungsten carbide.  The latter is a hard substance that provides an economical way to sharpen your tools.
4. Lubricate your tools from time to time.  Typically, any moving parts, including the silver volute spring on the secateurs.  You can use an oil or spray lubricant.
5. Store your tools in a dry place.  First you may wish to smear some oil (machine oil, 3inOne, Singer) onto the blade(s) of your tool.  Cover the blades and put into a cupboard in your shed or garage.

Hedges are very popular as they not only can provide a formal element to your garden design, but provide privacy and screening from your neighbours.

When to Prune?

There are lots of times during the year when you are able to prune - during the dormant season, all the way to spring.  Pruning promotes new growth.  You don't want to prune in Autumn - reason being is that it will promote growth and the winter temperatures will damage the new growth.

How Often?

Most well established hedges should only require pruning twice a year, once at the beginning of Spring, when the plants are showing new growth, then once again at the beginning of summer to maintain shape.

Newly established hedges do require a bit more attention in their first few years.  Tip-prune all the plants regularly in the first few years before they have reached their final height.  This encourages thick healthy growth and is important to establishing an attractive formal hedge.

Tools required:

Hand shears are the best choice for the home gardener.  They allow much better control and allow a closer and cleaner cut without the noise.  You will not get shredding or burning that some motorised hedgers will give.

Secateurs - recommend a ratchet or normal pair of secateurs to cut larger branches which are too big for hedging shears.

Rule of thumb is that you shouldn't cut branches which are bigger than a 'lady's little finger' in width with hedging shears.This will preserve the scissor type cutting action of the shears.

Pruning Saw - can also be used for the woody sections of a hedge if cutting right back.

String and 2 stakes or poles to create a straight line as a guide to pruning.

Motorised hedger if hedges are extremely long.

How to Prune?

1. Prune out dead or diseased branches first
2. Set up your stake and cord to get your height/ line
3. Start at the top - flat along the top.Decide if straight or round/ curved edges are required
4. Trim back new growth by tip pruning, work down sides
5. Feed and mulch after hedging plants to encourage healthy and vigorous new growth