When you have a sprawling garden or yard, you love the look of having a freshly mowed lawn. Do remember, though, that caring for it goes beyond simply mowing it. You also have to give your trees the attention it needs. Small trees need to be trimmed regularly, and the bigger ones cut.
Maintaining and trimming your trees can, however, be a daunting task. Especially when you aren’t an expert at it, it’s normal to feel like you don’t know what to do. That’s where the advantage of having the right tools comes in.
Let this article help you out when it comes to trimming your trees. Here, you’ll have a list of some of the must-have tree trimming tools you should keep in your shed.
Pole Pruners
When you have tall trees to trim, then you’ll need the assistance of tools that allow you to reach the higher part of your trees. With bigger branches, you can always go up and sit on it with your harness. But, if your trees have branches higher up which can’t withstand your weight, then you’ll have to reach those branches from the ground.
You can easily do this task with a pole pruner. It can be extended with lengths that enable you to reach even the higher points of your trees.
Pruning Shears
For as long as you have plants like shrubs and vegetables in your garden, then you’ll need to have this second tool: pruning shears. Suffice it to say that no toolbox or garden shed will ever be complete without pruning shears.
Pruning shears are also called hand pruners. These are perfect for cutting small twigs, usually up to an inch to two inches in diameter.
There are different types of pruning shears or pruners, and these include:
- Ergonomic pruners – which features handles that swivel when you’re cutting;
- Bypass pruners – works just like ordinary scissors do, making it best only for thin shrubs;
- Anvil pruners – use a wedge-shaped top blade that cuts through a splitting action.
Loppers
Loppers work in a manner like pruning shears or hand shears do. The difference, however, is in how loppers look. They have longer handles and blades, so you can cut through branches as thick as three inches.
The extra length and strength that loppers have come in handy when you have to trim branches in awkward spots or are directly above your head.
Hedge Shears
Hedge shears are another must-have tool in your garden shed. These are great for trimming back thick growth right after your tree has grown a lot. If you want to speed up trimming your trees, you may opt for the mechanical hedge shears instead.
Hedge shears are one of the most comfortable tree pruning tools to use. It also comes with different blades, depending on the use you intend to have for the shears. Hedge shears are the best to use if you want to trim branches with a diameter of ¼ inch or less.
Pruning Saws
For thicker branches that you need to trim, then you’ll need to have pruning saws, also known as hand saws. With one, you won’t have to exert much strength and effort. Pruning saws are best to cut for up to five inches thick.
Chainsaw
Even more powerful than a pruning saw is a chainsaw. It is needed when you’re trimming tree branches that are five inches or thicker. Chainsaws typically have a gas-powered engine and a cutting bar that holds the chain. There are smaller chainsaws that are electrical. Those are also quieter and produce less vibration than the gas-powered ones.
Gas Pole Saw
Gas pole saws are needed when you’re trimming thicker branches that are also higher up in the tree. With a pole saw, you can stay stable on the ground. Remember that saws are dangerous tools. Hence the need to exercise caution when using saws and climbing stairs.
Pole saws have longer, serrated blades. These allow you to have a good grip on the wood you’re cutting. That way, you can make the task of trimming thicker branches easier. However, you have to be sure that your saw is sharp enough to operate the pole saw faster. These can be heavy, so you may need extra strength to get the job done.
Conclusion
As you can see, the tools above are meant only for simple trimming. If you’re going to cut bigger branches, you should get a hold of more powerful electrical tools. If you’re trimming smaller twigs, branches, and plants, the tools above will get the job done. Get it one at a time, so soon enough, your garden shed will be well-equipped with the basics you need for trimming trees.
Leave a Reply