Sometimes it might seem like there are a few too many options available for lawn care equipment. You might wonder if you really need a string-line trimmer and an edger. Is there any need for both a riding mower and a walk-behind mower? Or for a chainsaw and a hedge trimmer?
While there are some situations where you can use one piece of lawn equipment to do two things (for example, tilting a string-line trimmer and using it as an edger) each piece of equipment is designed for a specific task. Using a push mower for cutting large lawns or trying to use a riding mower for cutting grass around closely-spaced trees just doesn’t make sense. It’s much better to have the right tool for the right job.
So what job are hedge trimmers the right tool for?
Clearly, trimming hedges is their intended purpose. But that doesn’t answer the question of what types of shrubs hedge trimmers are good for, or how large of branches a hedge trimmer can cut.
What types of plants are hedge trimmers good for?
Different types of shrubs respond differently to trimming. Some shrubs, like the ones that grow well as hedges or which grow so quickly the ends of the branches need to be cut back, do very well with regular trimming. Others, however, can be damaged by trimming just the ends of the branches. Click here for more information on trimming versus pruning.
Some types of plants, such a pine, are very likely to leave sticky sap and resin on the hedge trimmers. That doesn’t mean you can’t use hedge trimmers on these types of plants, though. It only means that you’ll need to spend a little extra time cleaning the hedge trimmer blades after cutting plants with sticky sap.
If you’re using your hedge trimmers for a long time or cutting plants with extra sticky sap, then it’d be a good idea to clean and oil the cutting blades a couple of times during cutting.
How large of branches can hedge trimmers cut?
Hedge trimmers aren’t designed for cutting large branches. They work best for cutting the slender branches and twigs along the outsides of a hedge. If you want to cut larger branches inside the hedges, you’ll need to use either a chainsaw or hand-powered loppers.
Your hedge trimmer’s product manual might say what is the largest branch diameter you can safely cut with that trimmer. As a more general rule, if you look at the spaces between the blades of hedge trimmers, you’ll see most are about 3/4 of an inch apart. Cutting branches that won’t fit inside these spaces is just about impossible.
Depending on how powerful the trimmer is and how sharp the blades are, you might have a hard time cutting thicker branches even if they do fit into the spaces between the blades. If you have questions about which hedge trimmers have the power to can handle larger branches, please don’t hesitate to ask us.
Hedge trimmers from Richardson Saw
If you want to trim hedges, shrubs, and other plants with stems and twigs less than 3/4-inch in diameter, then hedge trimmers are the perfect tool for the job. We carry a variety of standard and extended reach hedge trimmers from STIHL, ECHO, RedMax, and Shindaiwa here at Richardson Saw. Whether you want battery-powered, corded electric, or gasoline-powered trimmers, we can help you find the perfect fit for your yard-care needs.
