Have you ever tried cutting a branch, only to have your pruners embed themselves in the stem and no amount of tugging or wiggling could dislodge them? To avoid frustration, you want to make sure you’re equipped with the right tools when working in the garden or arranging flowers in your home. Getting professional results means you need professional tools, but what tools are the right tools for the job? Elaine Martin of Vintage Gardener, shares her favourite cutting devices and gadgets that she can’t work without.

Ratchet Pruner

The ratchet pruner is very easy to use and is perfect for tough stems like lilac, pear, and apple branches. You clamp the pruners on the branch, let it go and it holds its grip.

“Then it’s just a matter of pumping through the branch,” Martin says. Because you pump the handle, the motion is very gentle on your hand and wrist.

Bypass Pruners

“The bypass pruners used to have a big curved blade,” explains Martin. “This new version has a flat blade.” These pruners are ideal for cutting bigger branches, and will even cut through a large apple tree branch. Although the bypass pruners need a firm grip to cut through a branch, they were designed with women gardeners in mind, so they’re easy to use and won’t hurt the user’s hand.

Garden Shears

“These are my very favourite shears,” Martin says. “They’re made for both the right hand and the left hand.” These strong shears are designed to easily cut through a thick branch, such as a lilac. A must-have cutting tool, Martin keeps a pair in the kitchen, in her desk, and in the garden shed.

Japanese Pruning Scissors

The Japanese Pruning scissors are the grandmother to the modern pruning shears. They look like scissors, explains Martin, but they’re stronger, sharper and can easily prune a tree with a single squeeze. Having been around for hundreds of years, these heavy duty, long handled shears are heavier than the sleek garden shears, but the Japanese pruning scissors are a traditional favourite.

Cut and Hold Scissors

These magical scissors are a must-have in any gardener’s tool belt and Martin admits she loves them. Imagine you’re in the garden and your hands are full of cut flowers, but you see one more perfect bloom that you must have. The cut and hold scissors will allow you to grab the stem of the flower, cut it, and bring it to you, all in one fluid motion, without dropping your armful of flowers.

Snips

Ergonomically designed, these little snips are brand new on the market and ideal for people suffering from arthritis.

“You put it in your palm, so you’re cutting with your palm instead of your fingers,” Martin explains, adding that the snips are great for deadheading in the garden. “After the bloom is spent, we need to cut the bloom off, which forces the next one to come out. A plant thinks the only reason it makes flowers is to make seeds, but if you don’t let it make any seeds, it keeps blooming.” When deadheading, Martin recommends pruning the stem below the next leaf, so the plant will continue to bloom.

Stem Strippers

This fun little tool is certain to become a favourite gadget in your collection. Clamp the tool on the stem and pull in down in a fluid motion.

“It will take all the leaves off and will even remove thorns from roses,” Martin says.

For more information on cutting tools or to purchase tools online for your own cutting garden, visit www.vintagegardener.com.