Posted July 13, 2021
Don't leave your trees out in the cold this winter. Give them the TLC they need with our guide to winter pruning equipment
It can be easy to forget about your fruit trees during the colder months, when their branches are bare, and they only serve as a perch for the occasional blackbird or magpie. But the fact is, those trees need your care and attention now just as much as they do in spring and summer. Stone fruit trees like peach and apricot should be left alone, as they take longer to heal in cold weather and pruning is likely to result in infection. But other fruit trees, like fig and apple, respond well to pruning in winter.
This maintenance shouldn’t take too much time or effort and you won’t need a tonne of expensive garden equipment; a few simple hand tools are all you’ll need, but to ensure the health of your garden and your own personal safety, these tools should be high quality and well maintained. In this blog, we take a look at three essential items for your winter-pruning tool shed.
A good-quality pair of bypass secateurs are tool number one. These are used to prune small branches and twigs of up to around 3cm. For this job, we recommend some ARS Bypass Secateurs. The fewer moving parts your tools have, the lower their chance of mechanical problems and the easier they will be to maintain, and these pruners are defined by a focus on simplicity and functionality. The ergonomically designed handles offer a secure, comfortable grip. With their hard, chrome-plated blades and replaceable spring, these secateurs will give you years of trouble-free pruning.
We also suggest pairing these with a sturdy leather pouch holster, so you can safely and easily put them away within easy reach when not in use. Stashing sharp secateurs in your back pocket is not a great idea, for obvious reasons.
For thicker branches – up to around four centimetres – you’ll need some long-handled loppers. Aside from the obvious benefit of allowing you to reach higher branches, the longer handles offer greater cutting power with less exertion. The P-Hawk 28 Bypass Lopper from Sunya and the Vesco Lopper are our top picks for professional gardeners and arborists. With a drop-forged blade and light-but-tough handles, the P-Hawk is built to stand up to long-term, daily use.
If your branch requires heavy-duty pruning, you will need to move on to a folding saw. One of our favourites in this category is the Silky Gomboy 210mm medium tooth folding saw. This limited-edition saw uses a chrome-plated, taper-ground blade with medium-length teeth for aggressive cutting, allowing you to saw through dry or green wood with speed and ease. The Silky Gomboy is available in three colours – mustard, maroon, and ebony – and includes auto locking for open and closed positions.
Metrogreen has over 25 years of experience providing gardening and landscaping professionals and enthusiasts with top-tier tools and materials, and we stock a comprehensive range of hand-picked products to suit every task at competitive prices. For your peace of mind, we offer a 100% money-back guarantee, meaning that if you’re not totally satisfied with your product, you can return it within 14 days and receive a replacement or full refund.
We are committed to continuous improvement of our customer service, and our team of friendly customer service professionals strive to provide you with the solutions you need. Head to the Contact section of our website to get in touch by phone or email today