Types of garden shears and cutting actions
- Bypass pruners: Feature two curved blades that slide past each other like household scissors, ideal for clean cuts on living green stems without crushing tender plant tissue.
- Anvil pruners: Feature a single straight sharp blade closing against a flat brass or plastic anvil base, designed for cutting brittle dry wood and dead twigs.
- Harvesting and floral snips: Lightweight long, pointed blades engineered for snips in tight fruit clusters, grape harvesting, and kitchen garden trimming.
- Hedge shears: Long-bladed two-handed shears used for shaping tea bushes, ornamental shrubs, and nursery boundary hedges.
Pruning technique and disease prevention
Always make cuts at a 45-degree angle approximately 5 to 6 mm above an outward-facing bud. This slant sheds rainwater away from the bud, minimizing fungal rotting. Sterilize scissor blades with rubbing alcohol or a mild bleach solution when moving between diseased and healthy plants to stop pathogen spread.
Sharpening and tool maintenance
Sharpen the beveled cutting edge periodically using a fine whetstone or diamond file, maintaining the manufacturer's original bevel angle. Wipe blades clean of plant sap after use, tighten pivot bolts to eliminate blade play, and apply light machine oil to the central spring and pivot mechanism before storage.
Official source
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Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (CIAE) ↗Related on KisanPe
Common questions
What is the difference between bypass and anvil garden pruners?
Bypass pruners make clean scissors-style cuts on live green stems, while anvil pruners crush dead, brittle wood against a flat base.
Why should pruning cuts be made at an angle?
A 45-degree angled cut sheds moisture away from the bud, preventing water pooling and fungal rot.
How should garden scissors be disinfected between plants?
Wiping blades with isopropyl alcohol or a dilute sodium hypochlorite solution kills plant viruses and fungal spores.
General guidance, not personal advice. For your farm, ask your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra or agriculture officer.
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