Pruning is one of those jobs that rewards you far beyond the effort it takes. Done well, it keeps your trees healthy, structurally sound, and looking their best season after season. Done poorly — or with the wrong tools — it can do more harm than good. The good news: once you understand a few core principles, it’s genuinely straightforward.
This guide covers everything you need to know — from choosing the right cutting tool for the branch in front of you, to knowing when to prune, how to make clean, healthy cuts, and what to do once the job is done. Whether you’re tidying up a backyard fruit tree or tackling something more substantial, let’s figure it out together.
Choosing the Right Pruning Tool
The single most important factor in a good prune is starting with the right tool — and keeping it sharp. A blunt tool tears rather than cuts, leaving wounds that heal slowly and invite disease. Match the tool to the branch diameter, and you’ll get cleaner results with less effort every time.
Browse our full range of cutting tools, including secateurs & topiary, loppers, pruning saws, hedge & lawn shears, and tool maintenance & sharpeners.
Secateurs – for branches up to 1.5cm
For fine pruning work — roses, perennials, light shaping, deadheading — a good pair of secateurs is the tool you’ll reach for most. Look for bypass secateurs for living wood (they cut like scissors, leaving a clean wound) and anvil secateurs for dead wood or harder material.
A quality pair of secateurs should feel balanced in the hand and open and close smoothly. Ergonomic grips make a real difference over a long session — your wrists will thank you.
Loppers – for branches 1.5cm – 4cm
When a branch is too thick for secateurs, loppers give you the added leverage of long handles to make the cut clean and controlled. As with secateurs: bypass loppers for living wood, anvil loppers for cutting back dead or coarse material, or for shortening a heavier branch before removing it cleanly with a saw.
The Burgon & Ball Mini Bypass Lopper is a great option for mid-sized work with easy manoeuvrability. For heavier jobs, the Wolf-Garten Power Cut Bypass Lopper RR 630 offers excellent cutting power without the strain.
Folding Saws – for small branches & dead wood
For branches that loppers can’t handle — typically anything from around 2.5cm up — it’s time for a pruning saw. A compact folding saw is ideal for removing small branches and deadwood. It folds safely for pocket or tool belt carry, making it a practical choice when you’re moving around a large garden or working up a ladder.
We like the Corona Folding Razor Tooth Pruning Saw, the Burgon & Ball Folding Pruning Saw, and the Wolf-Garten Power Cut Saw 145 — all fold up neatly and carry safely. The Wolf-Garten Power Cut 275 also comes with its own sheath for easy belt carry. If you’re after a budget-friendly option, the Ryset JAWS Folding Saw punches well above its price point.
Fixed-Blade Saws – branches 4cm – 6cm+
For thicker, heavier branches you need a saw with some real bite. A fixed-blade or curved saw gives you the control and cutting power to work through denser timber cleanly. Before tackling the main cut, reduce the weight of the branch first with 2–3 preliminary cuts higher up — this makes the final cut much easier and helps prevent bark tearing.
The Ryset JAWS Curved Saw and the Corona RazorTooth 12″ Pruning Saw (also suitable for palm fronds) both come with sheaths for safe transport around the garden.
Hedge Shears – for trimming back hedges
For hedge trimming and shaping, the Wolf-Garten Telescopic Hedge Shears HS 1000 T offer extended reach with precision — ideal for keeping hedges tidy without a ladder. Browse the full hedge & lawn shears range →
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Keep Your Tools Sharp & Clean
Even the best tools lose their edge over time. Clean blades after each use (sap builds up quickly), wipe with an oily rag, and sharpen regularly. Our tool maintenance & sharpeners range has everything you need to keep your cutting tools performing at their best for years to come.
Disinfect blades between trees – especially if you’re working through a large garden – to avoid transferring fungal diseases or bacteria. A quick wipe with isopropyl alcohol or diluted bleach solution does the job.
Dress for the Job
Before you pick up any cutting tool, make sure you’re properly protected. Pruning saws and loppers are genuinely sharp — and branches can drop unexpectedly.
- Long pants and a long-sleeved shirt
- A sturdy pair of gardening gloves — scratch protectors for roses and thorny shrubs; general-purpose for most other tasks
- Safety glasses — especially when cutting overhead
- Non-slip, closed-toe shoes
- A wide-brimmed hat for sun protection on longer sessions
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When to Prune: A Season-by-Season Guide
Timing matters as much as technique. Prune at the wrong time and you risk stressing the plant, stimulating vulnerable new growth, or missing the window for a healthy recovery. Here’s how to read the seasons.
Winter – the main pruning season
Late winter to early spring is prime time for most pruning. Trees are dormant, sap isn’t actively flowing, and pests and diseases are at a low ebb — which means wounds close more easily and there’s less to attract unwanted attention.
Pruning during dormancy also gives plants a genuine boost: energy that was going to those branches is redirected to new growth when spring arrives. The result is stronger, more vigorous regrowth.
Exception: Maples, birches, and magnolias bleed sap heavily if pruned in winter. Wait until they have full leaf growth in summer for cleaner, lower-stress cuts.
You can also remove dead or damaged branches at any point during winter — this won’t disrupt growth and is worth doing whenever you notice a problem.
Spring – finishing touches
Spring pruning is about the final tidy-up before the main growing season gets underway. For fruit trees and flowering shrubs, prune back last year’s growth to encourage a good set of fruit or blooms – but don’t go too hard or you’ll lose the season’s potential.
Summer – light maintenance only
Summer isn’t the time for heavy pruning. Keep it to trimming and shaping hedges and topiary to maintain their form. The Nishigaki Japanese Hedge Shears and the Burgon & Ball Professional Soft Squeeze Shears are ideal for this kind of regular maintenance work.
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Autumn – hands off (mostly)
Resist the urge to prune heavily in autumn. Any new growth stimulated by pruning won’t have time to harden off before winter, making those fresh shoots vulnerable to frost damage. Autumn is also when wildlife benefits from seed pods and old growth – a good reason to let things be.
Pruning Techniques: The Four Fundamentals
1. Cleaning — remove the three Ds
Dead, Damaged, and Diseased branches are the first priority in any pruning session. Dead branches create habitat for pests and pathogens; damaged ones weaken the tree’s structure; diseased wood spreads problems to healthy parts. Remove these and the tree can put its energy where it matters.
2. Thinning – improve airflow and light
Thinning is the selective removal of branches to open up the canopy — improving airflow, reducing fungal disease risk, and allowing light to reach lower growth. The goal isn’t to remove a lot, but to make strategic cuts that let the tree breathe.
Work with the tree’s natural form rather than against it. Overcrowding and crossing branches are good candidates. Citrus trees respond particularly well to pruning in a trapezium shape — this maximises light exposure to the whole canopy.
3. Raising – create clearance
Raising involves removing lower branches to create headroom — for pathways, vehicles, buildings, or simply to open up a view. This is largely a practical exercise, though it’s worth doing gradually rather than all at once to avoid stressing the tree.
4. Reduction – manage size and spread
Reduction trims the tree’s overall height or canopy spread — for example, where branches are encroaching on a neighbour’s property or overhanging a building. The key is making clean cuts back to a natural branching point rather than leaving stubs.
How to Cut Larger Branches Safely
Large branches require a slightly different approach. Cutting straight through from the top can result in the branch tearing before the cut is complete, stripping bark down the trunk — causing a wound that can take years to heal (or never does properly).
The three-cut method prevents this:
- Make an undercut about a third of the way through, 30–40cm from the trunk
- Make a top cut slightly further out, cutting all the way through — the branch drops cleanly without tearing
- Make the final clean cut just outside the branch collar — the slight ridge or swelling where the branch meets the trunk
Always cut just outside the branch collar — never flush to the trunk and never leaving a long stub. The collar contains the tissue the tree uses to seal the wound. Cutting it away significantly slows recovery
After Pruning: Feed for Recovery
Pruning puts a tree under some stress, even when done well. A good feed shortly afterwards supports healthy wound closure and encourages the strong regrowth you’re after. What you use depends on the plant – our seasonal fertilising guides have plant-specific recommendations if you’re not sure where to start.
Browse our full fertilisers & soil conditioners range →
Pruning at a Glance
- Secateurs: branches up to ~1.5cm – roses, perennials, light shaping
- Loppers: branches 1.5cm – 4cm – bypass for live wood, anvil for dead
- Folding saw: smaller branches, dead wood, easy carry
- Fixed saw: branches 4cm+ – use three-cut method for large limbs
- Hedge shears: shaping hedges and topiary (summer maintenance)
- Best time: late winter/early spring for most trees; summer for hedge shaping only
- After pruning: feed with an appropriate fertiliser to support recovery
