With a pair of secateurs in hand, you can carve your way to a flourishing garden. So get to know how to use them and how to prune for best results.

If your garden looks and feels like a chaotic jungle, the perfect time to get to grips with it is in winter, the pruning season.

Secateur selection
Like most things you get what you pay for - you'll see and feel the difference in price and quality. Prices range from around $10 a pair to around $150. At the cheap end of the scale, you may get a season or two out of your tools, but pay around $60-$100 and you are likely to get more than a decade of reliable, daily service.

And not all secateurs are the same - there's a huge variety out there, so choose the one that's right for you.

There are left-handed secateurs, pairs for small hands, pairs for big hands and even long handled secateurs, which give extra cutting power.

Tip: If your grip isn't quite what it used to be, choose a pair with rotating handles to make life just that little bit easier.

Rules of engagement
When it comes to using your secateurs, there are two rules of thumb:

• The first rule of thumb is just that - don't prune anything with your secateurs that's thicker than your thumb. If you do, you'll ruin your secateurs and end up by butchering the plant. If branches are thick, you're better to move up to a larger pruning tool like a pair of long-handled loppers.
• Rule two is to get into the habit of wiping your secateurs with some methylated spirits between pruning each plant. This simple hygiene habit means that if you happen to prune a plant with a disease, you won't spread it around the rest of the garden. Remember prevention is much easier than finding a cure.

Squeaky clean

Cleaning your secateurs only takes a few simple steps. And not only will this task prolong their life, but it will also make the job easier to do, with a tool that cuts cleanly and effortlessly.

1. First scrub your secateurs in warm soapy water to remove the build-up of sap. This sap makes the blades sticky and clogs up the mechanisms so a few minutes in the wash will add years to the life of your secateurs.

2. Dry thoroughly using a soft cloth.

3. Then spray them with some lubricating oil to prevent any moisture in the air causing them to rust.

4. Once a month, sharpen your secateurs blades, so they continue to give you easy, clean cuts, rather than tearing the branch. Simply rub a secateur sharpening stone over the blades.

Tip: Don't lose your secateurs in the garden again because their green or silver colour is hard to spot. Just wrap a piece of red tape around the handle and you'll find them in an instant.

The 8 Essentials of Pruning

1. Shape
Deciduous trees are pruned in winter, as this is when you can get a clear view of their branch framework. Cut out congested areas to allow light and air to circulate and aim to create a 'vase' shape. Evergreen trees on the other hand, can be pruned either now or at any time of year.

2. Health
One of the main reasons for pruning, is to remove plant material that's diseased. Cut out dead wood and growth that is struggling. Remove branches that are rubbing together as these are also potential sites for disease and insect attack. Encourage growth outwards by thinning out stems that are growing towards the centre of a plant or tree.
Tip: Some pruned branches have a beauty of their own - turn the cuttings into a vase arrangement.

3. Safety
Move low branches that overhang walkways or those that are damaged. Don't tackle larger projects without the right tools and remember that if you need a chainsaw, you're probably better to call in an expert such as a tree surgeon.

4. Timing
Many deciduous flowering shrubs thrive on a winter pruning. Roses are the best-known candidate - pruning them back by a third or half will encourage new flowering stems and eliminate old, tired canes that have no future use. However, if you live in a particularly cool or cold area, delay pruning until late August as this will avoid new shoots being frost damaged.

5. Prune wisely!
Avoid pruning spring-flowering plants like azaleas or rhododendrons in winter, as you'll be cutting off their flower display. Instead, wait until they've finished blooming. With the deciduous blossom trees, like flowering peaches, cherries and crab apples, prune only lightly to shape, so you don't rob yourself of too many flowers. And remember - flowers have the potential to produce fruit, so leave the pruning of many citrus trees until late spring once your fruits have been harvested.

6. Prune for Fun!
Grow small leaved plants such as buxus, juniper, lilly pilly, Luma apiculata or lonicera as topiaries - and prune them into shape. Choose from the standard ball or conical shapes, or experiment with more exotic designs.

7. If in doubt, don't prune
If you're not sure whether a plant needs pruning, leave it alone. If it's in flower, wait until its blooming period is over and then cut it back. Alternatively, visit your local nursery and seek advice from a horticulturalist.

8. Prune within reason
If you have to keep pruning a shrub because it grows rapidly, over-filling its allocated space, think about relocating it to another part of the garden. Alternatively, move its neighbouring plants to a new spot and give it more room to spread. Pruning to suppress vigorous growth can prove a never-ending task!

Buying secateurs
When faced with a wide range of secateurs it can be very difficult to spot the difference and make the right choice.

• As a rule quality tools have replaceable parts. For some this may only be the blade and spring for others it may be every part, even the handles! This can massively extend the life of your secateurs.
  Buy the best quality you can afford and make your selection in a store that carries a wide range.
• As secateurs are the most 'intimate' of the hand tools it's important that you try before you buy. Make sure they fit comfortably and snugly in your hand in both the open and closed positions.
• Simple test for size: Allow the secateurs to open out fully. Place them in the palm of your hand. You should be able to close them without using your other hand.

Source:Better Homes and Gardens August 2005