Cutting edge tools

Pruning is one of the most enjoyable jobs in the garden, whether you're sorting out tangled climbing roses, thinning blackcurrants or removing damaged tree branches.

Using the right tools for each cut helps you work more efficiently and the plant stays healthy - ragged cuts invite infection to set in.

We have a wide range of pruning tools to choose from in our garden centre. Here's what you need to get started:

Secateurs: used for branches up to 2cm diameter. Bypass secateur blades cut like scissors and are handy in tight corners; anvil secateurs are useful for hard, woody stems.

Loppers: for thicker branches, up to 5cm across. They're like giant secateurs, some with extendable handles and ratchet actions for extra cutting power.

Pruning saws: for medium-sized branches. Folding saws have hinged blades which pack away into the handle; larger fixed-handle blades eat through major jobs.

Bow saws: for large tree work. Lightweight 'D' shaped saws with a hacksaw-type blade for tricky corners.

Overhead pruners: when a branch is out of reach, this telescopic handle with both a lopper blade and pruning saw on the end is perfect.

Please ask the staff in our Chislehurst, Newchurch, Canterbury, Welling and Newport garden centre for more information about choosing pruning tools for the job you need them for.