January and February are prime months for pruning shrubs and small trees. Before you take on that task, make sure your tools are clean and sharp. They’ll be safer and easier for you to use, and they will make clean cuts that are better for the plants. Sharpening is a good indoor job for a cold winter day.
Professionals use pruners that can be taken apart for sharpening, according to Ron Picco, horticulture specialist at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. But it’s a simple task to sharpen even ordinary garden pruners that have fixed blades.
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Use a small diamond file or a sharpening tool made for pruners — essentially a small metal stick with a diamond file at one end. Diamond files are made of industrial diamond particles embedded in metal.
On bypass pruners — with blades that close like a pair of scissors—you’ll sharpen only the wider blade that curves outward, Picco said. Look closely along the outer edge of that blade, and you’ll see a slant, called a bevel. Your goal is to keep the same slanted angle on the bevel as you make the edge sharp.
Grasp the tool at the joint in one hand, with the blades open as far as possible. Swipe the file along the beveled edge of the wide blade, from inside the joint out to the tip, keeping the surface of the file at the same angle as the existing bevel.
A few strokes should be enough. “If you touch the blade carefully, you’ll feel a sharp edge there,” Picco said.
Use the same technique to sharpen loppers, which are essentially large pruners with long handles for more leverage. If you have a tool bench, it may be helpful to secure your pruners or loppers in a bench vise while you work.
This is also a good time to clean your tools. Wipe them with a cloth and household cleaner, and dry them well. “If the blades are gummy from sap, remove it with fine steel wool,” Picco said. Then lubricate the joint with a drop or two of all-purpose household oil.
Clean, sharp, lubricated pruners will cut through branches with less effort, which is easier on your hand and arm. They also will slice the wood cleanly rather than tearing or crushing it, which will make it easier for the plant to seal its wounds. It’s always worth taking the time to tend to your tools.
Beth Botts is a staff writer at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle (www.mortonarb.org).
For tree and plant advice, contact the Arboretum’s Plant Clinic (630-719-2424 or plantclinic@mortonarb.org).
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