Must-Have Pruning Tools

By Demetra Aposporos | Photo by Lee Reich

	Hand pruning shears work well on apple spurs.

Want to make your garden grow, but have no idea which tools you need to get to work? We've assembled this short list of must-have pruning tools with input from our expert author, Lee Reich.

1. Hand pruning shears work well for cutting slender branches of fresh, green wood. Look for shears that are comfortable to hold, with handles covered in molded vinyl for gripping ease, and a locking device behind the blades, instead of at the back of the handles, to help prevent blisters.

2. Powered hedge shears are considered a landscaper's best friend. (Tightly-shaped, Edward-Scissorhands-like hedges can't live without them.) That's because they easily make nice, symmetrical cuts to shrubs, ornamental grasses, and even small trees. Whether they run on gasoline, electricity, or a battery pack, powered hedge shears make quick work of extensive trimming, with powerful gas-powered models able to slice through branches 1 thick.

3. Loppers operate like hand pruning shears on steroids. Their long handles extend your chopping reach and also add leverage to cutting power, letting you slice through branches up to 2 thick.

4. Turbocut hand pruning saw—the perfect tool for trimming the largest branches in your garden or orchard. These saws get their name from teeth that are precision-cut on three separate angles, making for smooth, clean cuts with little effort. Turbocut blades (also called tri-cut) don't rip like most saws, they cut like a knife—through branches up to 9 thick.

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