To prune well, with minimum damage, you need a small range of good-quality cutting tools. Here we explain what you really need, what to look for in tools, how much you should expect to pay and how to get the maximum life from them.

Pruning tools are used over and over again and, because the work they do can be tough, it's worth paying extra for quality, long-lasting products.

Secateurs
The most useful, used tool. There are two types: anvil and bypass.

Bypass secateurs work like scissors (one blade passes by the other). They are best for cutting living, green stems. Less common anvil secateurs have a blade which cuts onto a flat surface or anvil. They are best for dead, old or hard wood (such as old rose stems or deciduous vines).

Look for a pair which feels comfortable in the hand and is easy and smooth to operate.

Small, lightweight models may only cut stems up to 12mm thick but bigger, more powerful models will cut branches up to 25mm diameter. The maximum thickness the tool will cut may be stated on the packaging and you should never try to force it to cut thicker stems. If a stem cannot be cut easily, using one hand only, the branch is too thick for secateurs and you should use toppers or a pruning saw.

Prices vary but for a sturdy pair, adequate for the home garden, expect to pay between $20 and $35. If you want a better-designed, better-made tool which you're prepared to look after, spend $50-70.

Loppers
More reach, more leverage.

Loppers are secateurs with long handles which are operated with both hands. The long handles let you reach higher and also give greater leverage. However, like secateurs, you should not force toppers to cut a branch which is too thick for them. Look for a model with comfortable grips and strong construction and, in general, the longer the handles, the more useful the tool will be. Expect to pay about $80 for a pair of adequate quality, or around $160 for the best.

Pruning saws
For cutting thick branches.

Pruning saws have sharp, coarse teeth. Don't use on branches less than 25mm thick (use secateurs or toppers instead) or on branches more than 20cm thick (use a chainsaw instead).

Pruning saws cut on the pull and have straight or curved blades. Blade length varies and there are also folding saws which can fit into a pocket or be hung from a belt. The shorter the blade the less thick the branch which can be cut but shorter blades can be used in tighter spaces.

Saw teeth may be hardened or unhardened. Hardening makes the teeth stronger and longer lasting but hardened teeth cannot be sharpened. Unhardened teeth can be sharpened indefinitely.

Twenty dollars buys an average-quality saw but with $30-80 to spend you'll get better goods. Be sure you like the feel of the handle in your palm - an uncomfortable saw quickly leads to blisters.

Shears
You don't have to have a hedge to find shears useful. Used on shrubs, they'll re-store a neat outline and encourage dense, bushy regrowth and they'll trim grass the mower won't reach. Shears are for giving an overall 'hair-cut', not for removing individual stems.

Shears should have a firm but smooth operation and the blades should contact each other along their entire length but only where the two blades meet. Shears with wavy-edged blades are said to be better for trimming woody stems.

Straight-bladed shears will slice easily through dense growth and are ideal for hedges. Look for a notch or serration at the base of the blade in which the odd thick branch can be cut.

If you need shears, you will use them often so it's worth paying for quality.

After-use care

Extends the life of your tools. After use, clean off any plant debris. Spray with a lubricant such as WD-40 and wipe clean. Store in a dry place.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens magazine