One of the best ways to care for your large shrubs and garden trees is to give them a winter prune. Not all plants need pruning in winter, but many benefit more now, as they’re in a dormant state.
Find out which tools are best to use for your winter garden pruning tasks.
What should be pruned in winter?
There are quite a few plants with tough branches which may warrant the use of loppers or a pruning saw. For example, fruit trees like apple and pear trees are perfect to prune from November to mid-March. Try to prune these into a wine glass shape; the open centre allows good air circulation and plenty of light. Plus, it is easier to harvest from.
Deciduous ornamental trees are also worth pruning, removing smaller branches to keep them tidy. Similarly with deciduous ornamental shrubs. Many rose types (except rambling roses, which should wait until summer) are best pruned during the winter.
There are other benefits to pruning in winter too, other than being beneficial to the plant. During the winter months, weather conditions can become increasingly inclement, including, in some areas, heavy snow, wind, and rain. These conditions can damage trees, causing branches to fall in strong wind or under the weight of heavy snowfall. By pruning dead and damaged branches during the winter, they are out of the way to avoid causing damage or injury due to severe weather conditions.
How to prune branches safely
When pruning overhead branches, particularly larger ones, make sure you wear appropriate safety equipment. Gloves, goggles, and a hard hat can all go a long way to avoid injury, particularly when pruning tree branches above you.
Make sure you assess the branches you want to remove fully before making any cuts. If the branch is significantly large, it may well be prudent to employ the services of a reputable tree surgeon.
Keep your tools in top condition before starting. Make sure they’re sharp, and clean them and oil them before storing them for preservation of the metal. This will help to avoid rusting and will make the job of pruning much easier for you. Finally, make sure you’re using the right tool for the job. Some shrubs and trees have smaller branches, up to 1cm in diameter, which can be tackled with pruners. However, many trees and shrubs have branches thicker than that. Anything between 1cm and 2cm in diameter is best handled by loppers, whilst larger than that, a pruning saw is the best option.
When to use compound action anvil loppers to cut branches
Loppers with a compound action have several pivot points built into them. Each of these pivot points increases the leverage behind the cut being made. Therefore, it is much stronger and easier to use for you, reducing the strength you need to exert for each cut.
The type of cut on the Ames Tools Compound Action Anvil Loppers is an anvil style. This type of lopper consists of one blade, which closes onto a solid base, much like a knife on a chopping board. As these only cut from one side, these loppers are best used on hard, dead wood, rather than live wood, as a perfectly clean cut isn’t necessary. And these loppers from Ames are precision tensioned, which will ensure smooth cuts every time.
Dead, diseased, and damaged wood is the perfect subject for these loppers, up to 2cm in diameter. Removing dead wood during the winter is ideal, particularly on deciduous trees, as you can more clearly see where the branches are to create the desired shape.
When to use geared bypass loppers to cut branches
The geared mechanism found in the Ames Tools Geared Bypass Loppers is ideal for bigger, live branches. A geared action mechanism increases the power of each cut significantly, which is necessary in live wood. As it is live, it is much more dense than dry wood, meaning more strength is required. This is why a geared action approach is much more beneficial.
These Ames Tools Geared Loppers have bypass blades fitted. The bypass loppers use two blades which work like scissors, sliding past each other. This creates a much cleaner cut, necessary for live wood so makes healing the pruning wound much easier.
Pruning live wood during the winter is much more beneficial to the tree or shrub. As they are dormant, the pruning is much less likely to strain the plant, so the wounds can heal gradually. Then, as they come out of dormancy, they can best use their energy in living wood more effectively, towards growth, and leaf and flower development.
When to use a pruning saw to cut branches
If you have branches over a diameter of 3cm, you will need to switch from loppers to a pruning saw. These will help you handle much larger branches effectively, and safely. The Ames Tools Pruning Saw has 7 teeth per inch of blade, which is made from SK5 Japanese carbon steel, which is PTFE coated. This enables smooth cutting, rust resistance, and sharpness which lasts. Plus, it is foldable, which allows you to store it easily, and safely too.
SK5 Japanese carbon steel is designed to last and is used worldwide for garden tools and high-quality knife blades. This is thanks to its durability and wear resistance. Pruning saws are most effectively used on large, heavy branches, to get the best results. It’s also lightweight, at 0.22kg, helping to make the task of sawing wood much less of a strain.
How to use a pruning saw
Start from the top of the branch. And draw it firmly towards you. Continue to push and pull it back and forth. The further into the branch you cut, the easier it should get. Apply downward pressure with every stroke, to help push through the wood.
If the pruning saw gets stuck, avoid trying to pull it out. Instead, applying pressure on the outward end of the branch opens the cut, making more room for the saw to move. Continue cutting until the branch comes away from the tree.
Get prepped for pruning with your AMES Tools pruning tools – find your nearest retailer today.
