Pruning Knife

How to choose a pruning knife?

I love my pruning knife, or should I call it my does it all tool? OK, I admit, it's not only about convenience... I am a man after all, and this small hand tool makes me feel a little like a caveman. Hunting, harvesting... carving on walls – my pruning knife does it all. Although the folding knives are very useful and perhaps more practical, which makes them very tempting to work with, I like simple things (so they are simple to keep) and chose to work with a one piece knife.

Why? Well, the fact is that I don't like small parts, and (even simple) mechanism when it comes to working in the garden. These knifes are created for work in gardens and are able to meet the two main materials: plants and soil. And, although I know they were designed to handle small grains of sand, cleaning them after use isn’t easy. I like things to be easy. Folding knifes are good for people who only use them very occasionally. If you use your knife often, my advice is to get yourself a good one piece. Most of us use the same knife for pruning plants and cutting roots – so if you’re going to invest in a knife – make it a good one, a knife that will make the heavier tasks easier and one that will last you for years.

Very important: Safety! Most folding knives have a safety mechanism to prevent them from folding accidentally, if you’re using a one piece I suggest a holster, you will want to put it down safely in between uses, even if only for a few minutes while you’re still in the garden.

Pruning Knife
My personal recommendation

A few more words on hand tools for the garden – there is a huge variety of hand tools out there, and I know I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again - keep it simple and it will be simple to keep. Although you don’t need anything too complicated, I do suggest that you spend a little more on the simple tools - secateurs, loppers, shovels, axes, working belts, rakes, pitchforks, work gloves – good quality will always make the work easier and more fun. Also, from my experience, ‘cheap' is more often than not - more expensive. So know that if you spend a little more at the beginning, you’re most likely saving money over time. These simple tools should all last for years, so make sure they are good ones.

Providing general guidelines on 'how to prune' any kind of plant is important, but there are plants, and there is YOUR plant. So despite there being loads of information on this site, I also provide specific and personalized support. If something wasn't clear, or you're not sure of your plant's name, simply send me a picture with your question. Use the form below and I'll get back to you. In the mean time, see what others are asking. 

Gardening gift ideas
to use indoors or out