Debate: pruning shears vs hand pruners for small branches

I've been using Felco pruners for years but my buddy swears by a simple $8 pair of shears for anything under half an inch. After 3 days of testing on my rose bushes last week, the shears were faster but left rougher cuts. What do you all use for the thin stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

grantp141mo ago

Well now, that's an interesting test you ran. I think the key point about cut quality is often overlooked. A clean cut heals faster and leaves less room for disease, especially on something delicate like roses. For my part, I'll take an extra few seconds with my pruners if it means the plant is better off in the long run. Speed is nice, but not at the expense of a ragged wound that invites trouble.

betty_kelly91mo ago

Ha, I'm gonna have to disagree a little bit here. I've been using a good pair of bypass pruners for years and yeah a clean cut matters, but the whole "ragged wound" thing is way overblown for home gardeners. Unless you're using some rusty, dull dollar store clippers, the difference between a slightly slow cut and a fast one isn't gonna make or break your roses. I've had plenty of plants heal up just fine from cuts that weren't perfect. I'll take the time saved over stressing over a millimeter of stem any day.

karenh561mo ago

ragged wound that invites trouble" - lol okay grandpa. My roses have survived plenty of cuts that weren't perfect.