Trees and shrubs are a staple of landscaping. Most of us have at least one or the other in our yards. To keep them healthy and attractive, trees and shrub benefit from regular maintenance. Trimming and pruning, mulching, fertilizing, and watering are key to healthy trees and shrubs.
It doesn’t require many tools to take care of trees and shrubs. A hose or sprinkler system for watering as-needed, mulch to help keep the roots healthy, and occasional fertilizer are enough to handle most of a tree or shrub’s basic needs. But you will need some more specialized tools for trimming and pruning.
Trees and shrubs benefit from regular cutting back to keep them healthy and maintain an attractive plant shape. You’ll see people use the terms “pruning” and “trimming” interchangeably for this process, but they’re not the same thing. Most plants benefit from pruning, but only a few will need trimming. You’ll need different tools for trimming and pruning tasks, and that’s what we’re going to look at in today’s article.
What Does It Mean To Prune A Tree or Shrub?
Pruning involves removing branches with the goal of keeping trees and shrubs healthy. You’ll prune about once a year. The exact timing depends on plant species.
The first goal of pruning is to take out branches that are dead or diseased. You’ll also remove branches that are growing in the wrong place. For example, if two branches are crossing and rubbing against each other you’ll select one to keep and one to prune out.
Be sure to research specific pruning guidelines for each of your trees and shrubs. The best time to prune some is in the spring while they’re dormant. For others, it’s after flowering. Some shrubs benefit from having the oldest canes cut off at the ground, while others should not be pruned so dramatically. It all depends on the specific plant.
Pruning Tools
You’ll do most pruning by hand using pruners, loppers, and hand saws. For major pruning tasks, you may need a chainsaw. Pruning does require a time investment, since you want to take your time and make sure you’re removing the right branches. However, you only have to do it about once a year. Here are the three main types of pruning tools:
Hand pruners
- Spring-loaded tools that are designed for use with one hand. You can use them to cut branches up to 1 inch in diameter.
- Anvil pruners have one cutting blade that moves across an anvil-like blade. They give you more cutting power than bypass pruners. However, the design may crush branches especially if the cutting blade isn’t kept sharp.
- Bypass pruners have two blades that move past each other, like scissors. Sometimes only one blade is sharp. They make a cleaner cut than anvil pruners, but work best for thinner branches.
- Ratchet pruners are a type of anvil pruner that features a mechanism that cuts in stages. The goal is to minimize hand strain and provide more cutting power. They make challenging pruning easy, even for gardeners who may struggle with hand strength.
Loppers
- These tools are much larger than hand pruners. They’re designed for two-handed use. You can use them to cut branches up to 2 inches in diameter.
- Like the hand pruners, they also come in anvil, bypass, or ratchet styles. They function pretty much the same way as hand pruners in the same styles, though the size is larger.
Saws
- Cutting tools for branches larger than 2 inches in diameter. You’ll need them for many trees and a few of the larger shrubs.
- Hand saws work well for pruning in tight places. You probably won’t want to cut very large branches with them, but they’re useful for branches that you can’t get to with loppers.
- If you have lots of pruning to do, especially on large trees, you’ll want a chainsaw. If you’ll only be using the chainsaw for pruning, consider a small battery-powered saw. They’re lightweight, easy to use, and easy to store.
- For branches you can’t reach from the ground, a manual tree trimmer or powered pole saw can help.
How Do You Trim, and Which Plants Need It?
In contrast to pruning, trimming is more focused on maintaining an attractive appearance by shearing away the outer branch tips. We often use it for hedge shrubs like boxwoods. Trimming hedges is essential for maintaining their shape.
For most shrubs, it’s not a good idea to trim unless you’re also pruning. Trimming without pruning can leave you with green leaves on the outside of your shrubs and a mass of dead leaves on the inside. Make sure you’re pruning as well as trimming to keep the center of the shrub open and healthy.
Trimming Tools
For plants that respond well to trimming, you can trim with hand shears or with electric hedge trimmers. Depending on how fast the plants grow, you may need to trim several times a year.
Hand Shears
- These tools work like big scissors.
- Hand shears work best for small trimming jobs and plants too delicate for a powered hedge trimmer.
Hedge Trimmers
- You can get electric, battery, and gasoline-powered models.
- Hedge trimmers with double-sided blades are used for most types of hedge trimming.
- Single-sided blades are designed for straight cutting, trimming, and shaping.
- Pole hedge trimmers work well for cutting taller hedges.
Conclusion
The right kind of pruning and trimming equipment will go a long way toward helping you maintain healthy shrubs and trees. If you need to get any of these pruning and trimming tools for yourself, you can find them at Richardson Saw & Lawnmower. We carry a wide range of landscaping equipment to help you keep all your trees and shrubs healthy and attractive. And if you’re not sure which type of pruners or trimmers you need, our experts will be happy to help. Just stop by or contact us to learn more.
