Make Easy Work of Using Your Tree Loppers
by Rose Reyes
When the time comes to prune a tree in your garden, you may find yourself instinctively reaching for your tree lopper. Before you do, take some time to learn about operating one with ease.
Identify where you need to cut and hold your position accordingly
If you're confident you know where you want to lop your tree's branch, aim to start lopping 1/4 of an inch away from it. Doing so is necessary as the angle of your blades and the way you lop will result in a natural deviation, which could reduce your accuracy if you don't plan to work against it. Additionally, you should ensure you don't need to lop while extending your arms. Although you can maintain some momentum initially, eventually your arms will weaken and your actions will become less robust.
Open your lopper as wide as possible
Always remember that your tree lopper won't deliver its best actions when you attempt to snip it gently. To execute the full force of its blades you should open it as widely as possible and close it with a significant amount of force. Using such actions reduces the chances of having to remove small pieces of wood with additional tools. Also, you'll achieve a cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing cut.
Know when to use a pruning saw instead
Although using a reasonable amount of force is advisable, when you need to use too much you'll produce a rough cut. Having to press down hard on your lopper will force it to rotate, leaving clean results on one side and uneven wood on the other. If you feel as though your tool isn't working as smoothly as usual due to the wood's thickness, consider switching to a pruning saw. If you do so you can determine the accuracy yourself, which makes your work easier.
Make sure you plan your pruning activities for the right time of year
Do you know when your tree's most dormant season is? If you do, try to reserve your lopping session for then. While a tree is in its active phase of growth the branches aren't prime for lopping. The only time you should consider pruning during a non-dormant period is if the tree is posing a safety risk. Additionally, it's worth pruning branches while they're young, as they're often small enough to tackle.
Overall, a little planning and a decent insight into how pruning should feel will make using your tree lopper easier. Once yours starts to weaken, consider sharpening or switching to a newer model to simplify your efforts.
You can also reach out to tree lopper professionals for assistance.
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About Me
If you live in an old house, you might find that some of the trees in your yard are as old, or older, than your house. Trees are a great link to the past of the house, but as they get older, like any living thing, they need a little more tender loving care! I help homeowners restore and maintain the trees at their house so that they look beautiful and healthy again. If you are the proud owner of an older tree and want to make sure it retains its natural glory, keep reading for my hints and tips.