Tree pruning is one of the best ways to care for your trees. This is the process of removing dead, diseased, or damaged branches in a way that will improve the overall health of the tree. Tree pruning can also be used to maintain the proper size and shape of a tree.
Regular and proper pruning leads to multiple benefits for your tree including improved aesthetics and structure, mitigating safety hazards, and preventing the spread of disease.
Of course, in order to achieve this, you'll need the right tools to prune trees.
There are a lot of different pruning tools out there and you can't use the same tool on everything. In fact, some ornamental trees and shrubs will actually require highly selective hand pruning.
In this article, we will talk about some of the best tree pruning tools required for pruning.
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These include:
We'll also discuss some reasons why you might want to choose professional tree pruning instead of tackling this on your own.
What are the Tools to Prune Trees?
The right tools to cut tree branches can make all the difference in your results. The following are some of the essential tools that will be required for pruning.
1. Pruning Shears (also called Pruners, Clippers, or Secateurs)
These are probably the most popular tools for pruning shrubs, flowers, vines, and small tree growth. Pruning Shears are a handheld tool that can cut branches and twigs up to ¾ inches in thickness. There are three types of pruning shears: anvil, bypass, and ratchets.
- A bypass pruner acts like scissors and works very well for growing stems.
- Anvil pruners feature a straight blade that uses a splitting action. It is perfect for dry
branches and limbs.
- Ratchet pruners are like anvil pruners, but they feature a mechanism that cuts the tree in stages. Ratchet pruners are ideal for those who don't want to strain their wrists.
2. Loppers
A Looper can cut branches up to 2 ½ inches thick and is especially useful for pruning fruit trees, nut trees, and vines. This tool is similar to a pair of hand shears, but the blades are thicker, and the handle is much longer.
Loppers also come in the anvil, bypass, and ratchet styles.
However, anvil blades are more likely to crush new stems and branches instead of cutting them cleanly, which increases the chance of damaging the tree tissue. As with hand pruners, choose loppers with scissoring blades like bypass looper instead of anvil blades.
3. Pruning Saws
Pruning saws can cut branches between 2½ to 3 inches in diameter and are available in many styles. They have hard-pointed, heat-treated teeth and come in different sizes and shapes depending on your needs.
Some varieties include bow saw, fixed handle saw, folding handle saw, curved blade pruning saw, and straight blade pruning saw. Use a pruning saw that matches the task at hand to make the job easier.
4. Pole Pruner
A pole pruner, with its built-in saw blade, can remove the deadwood in a tree. It can cut through branches up to 1¼ inch in diameter. Most pole pruners can reach up to 8 feet in height, eliminating the need for a ladder in many cases.
5. Pole Saw
Older versions of pole saws had heavy wooden or fiberglass handles that flexed like fishing poles, making them difficult to control. In contrast, modern pole saws are quick-locking, lightweight, and rigid, often made of aluminum with oval or square cross-sections.
Several pole saws like electric and battery pole saws, manual pole saws, and gas pole saws are available in the market.
Why Consider Professional Tree Pruning
Now that you know some of the best tree pruning tools, you might be considering DIY tree pruning. But there are some good reasons why this might not be a good choice. Most people choose a DIY approach to try and save money. However, don't forget you still have to invest in tools to prune trees, like the ones mentioned here.
Some other reasons why DIY pruning might not be the best choice include:
- Danger: Tree pruning can be dangerous work. We can't emphasize this point enough. Every year there are homeowners who wind up in the emergency room or even die as a result of a tree accident. This is also why it's important to hire a well-trained professional. One tree pruning tool that we did not mention on this list is a chainsaw. Anytime that you're getting into needing to use power equipment, there is increased risk. This type of work is best left to a pro.
- Pruning mistakes: Pruning mistakes related to where you're cutting or even when you're cutting can be detrimental to the tree. There are certain times of the year when pruning trees is optimal. If you prune your trees at the wrong time of the year, you can actually cause problems for them. You could end up harming or even killing a tree if you make serious pruning errors. Any money you might have saved by performing this service yourself could be quickly lost.
- Hassles and headaches: You also have to keep in mind that your time is worth something. If you choose not to use professional tree pruning and try to do this service yourself, you're going to have to use up precious time that you could be spending doing something you really enjoy. Tree pruning can also be arduous work. It's not typically how most homeowners want to spend a free weekend.
- Pruning with the wrong tools: Pruning with the proper tools is critical to the success of this service. We've covered some of the best tree pruning tools here but you have to be cautious to choose the right tool for the right job. The condition of your tools also matters. For instance, pruning with dull blades can tear or rip the branch and lead to added stress or even disease or pest problems.
Your Wise Choice in Professional Tree Pruning
When you hire a professional tree pruning service, you're taking an important step in protecting your investment in your property's trees. There are a lot of New England Seacoast tree-pruning companies out there, so you'll need to do your due diligence and choose a company that you trust.
Take some time to do research by looking at companies' websites, reading reviews, and even talking to the company ahead of hiring them. Seek out companies that employ Certified Arborists and who take services like tree pruning seriously.
Tree work, like pruning, can be risky. That's why it's also important to hire a tree pruning company that is properly insured. It's important that any company doing tree work on your property has adequate liability insurance so that you are not liable if an accident were ever to occur.
Your wise choice will go a long way in preserving your trees' health and longevity.
At Seacoast Tree Care, serving Southern NH, Southern Maine, and Northeastern Massachusetts, we take the work that we do quite seriously. We started our business with the belief that we are here to care for and protect trees whenever we can. However, when they do have to come down, it's absolutely critical that it's done right.
We are committed to preserving trees in the New England Seacoast area by performing vital services like tree pruning, the right way.
Ready for safer and healthier trees at your Southern NH, Maine, or Northeastern Massachusetts home? Request your consultation and get a free quote for tree pruning services. We service properties in and around Stratham, NH, Kittery, ME, and Haverhill, MA. By making a wise choice, you'll know your trees are in good hands.
Image Source: pruning shears, loppers, pruning saw, pole saw
Pruning is often at the top of most gardeners' summer gardening checklist. However, you might be dreading it. With the wrong pair of pruners, your hands will be sore and chafed, and what should be one of the most relaxing jobs in the garden can quickly become a chore.
As a product tester, I've tried dozens of pairs of pruners over my career. I've spent happy hours with some of the best pruning shears around, and horrible, uncomfortable hours with bad, low-quality pruners.
This is everything I've learned about how to buy a good pair of pruners, so you can find a pair that are comfortable, long-lasting, and do a great job.
1. Know your pruner types
(Image credit: Getty Images/marc chesneau)
The most important part of buying pruners is to know your pruner types. There are three types of pruner and they all do different things.
The most common type of pruners are bypass pruners. These have two blades and work like scissors, and give the cleanest cut of all the types of pruners. They're perfect for delicate stems but struggle with thicker branches.
Anvil pruners have a single blade, which closes on a hard cutting block. This is perfect for pruning dead wood.
Ratchet pruners use a ratcheting mechanism that cuts in several stages. This allows you to cut through thicker material than usual because you take several attempts on a single cut. They are also helpful if you have mobility issues like arthritis.
Most people can get by with a single pair of bypass pruners. However, if you have a lot of tough wood to prune, an anvil pruner or bypass pruner is a much better option.
2. Always buy colorful handles
(Image credit: Getty Images/Galina Zhigalova)
For more information, please visit Pruning Tools Manufacturer.
My biggest tip for buying pruners is simple but saved me a lot of headaches over the years. Always buy pruners with colorful handles, preferably red, white, or neon pink. It's not an aesthetic issue, but a practical one.
These colors contrast with green, so they are much easier to see if you drop your pruners. That's why the pruners I recommend above all have red handles. I can't tell you how many times I've put some black or green pruners down on a lawn while I attend to some other task, only to lose track of my pruners completely.
It's especially helpful if you drop your pruners into a hedge or a tree. It's a small change, and it doesn't always look great, but it makes life much easier.
Okatsune 103 Pruners
Was $35.05 now $33.29 at Amazon
While the Felco F2 pruners are great, my favorites are these Okatsune 103 pruners. They're comfortable, and the safety catch is secure but easy to open. While the red and white handles look great, they also make it easy to spot these prunes if you drop them into a shrub or onto a lawn by accident. They're also excellent if you have smaller hands. My only criticism is that they have less grip than Felco models.
Fiskars Pink Pruning Pruners
Was $16.99, now $10.68 at Amazon
These aren't the best pruners in the world, but you'll always be able to find them, and the soft rubber grip is incredibly comfortable.
Threshold Gardening Set
$25 at Target
I haven't tested these, so I won't vouch for their quality, but I love the pattern on these pruners. Best of all, they come in a set with a garden trowel and fork, so you can save some money.
3. Buy pruners with replacement parts
(Image credit: Future/Ruth Hayes)
Whether you're buying an air fryer or a , you'll know that markets are flooded with cheap knockoffs that can't be repaired or fixed. This is even true in gardening, and it's especially frustrating with pruners.
The ability to open up and repair your pruners is essential. Before we even get into more serious repairs, you need to be able to open up or take your pruners apart so that you can sharpen them. Dull pruners crush your plants rather than cut them, which can invite disease. You need to keep the blades sharp and well-oiled to ensure a fast motion on your pruners that cuts quickly and cleanly. If you can't clean and sharpen your pruners for this maintenance, you risk harming your plants.
You also need to be able to replace safety catches, rivets, and screws, so that you can keep your pruners working for life. The Felco tools I mentioned above are particularly good for this. Gardeners have coveted The Felco 2 for years for this precise reason. You can always find replacement parts for these; they're often called 'the last pruners you'll ever buy.'
4. Never buy wood handles
(Image credit: Getty Images/Lex20)
My other tip for buying pruners is to avoid wooden handles. Wooden handles as shown in these wooden pruners on Amazon look great, and they feel a lot more rustic and cottage-like than bright rubber handles.
However, I know from hours of testing pruners that wood handles always rub, even if you're wearing gardening gloves. They're very hard on your hands, too, because there's no cushioning in the material.
They give your hand bones a jolt every time you make a cut. Instead, rubber handles are usually best. They're less likely to rub, and they're a little softer on your hands.
5. Consider your hand size
(Image credit: Deborah Vernon/Alamy Stock Photos)
Many people find pruners uncomfortable because they're simply the wrong size for their hands. If you have small hands, you may struggle to close large pruners, and if you have large hands you might find small pruners clumsy.
The simplest way around this is to read reviews before you buy. There's no standard 'large' or 'small' with pruner sizes, so you can't rely on what a company tell you. Instead, read a couple of reviews. These should tell you if pruners run large or small for different people.
6. Beware awkward rivets and bumps
This is a small one, but it can drive you crazy if you're not careful. Some pruners have rivets or screws on their handle. This can quickly rub on your fingers or hands, which will quickly become uncomfortable.
While you can buy covers for pruner handles, it's better to avoid the problem entirely by buying different types of pruners.
Pruner FAQs
Should I buy electric pruners?
You should only buy electric pruners if you have particularly tough branches to cut or a disability in your hands. Otherwise, you're paying a lot for a tool that does the same job as a cheaper analogue model. On top of that, you have to remember to charge them, and they could run out of charge midway through pruning.
For more advice on pruning, take a look at our advice on what to prune in July, or our warnings about the plants you should never prune in summer.
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