Do you have a food-growing question you’d like me to answer? Check out these guidelines to find out the best way to ask.
Cutting-edge secateur recommendations
I’m sick of cheap secateurs that fall apart or quickly go blunt. Can you recommend a good pair?
Peta G, Gembrook Vic
The difference between high quality and cheap stuff is the quality of the steel in the blades. High-end secateurs have blades of hard steel. This means is the blades are less likely to chip or crack, but also that the edge will stay sharp for many more cuts than soft steel will. Avoid secateurs made from stainless steel because the blades will be too soft.
I use Felco secateurs and so do most other professionals. They stay sharp, they require minimal care and you can order every part as a replacement. Felco has a range of models suiting large hands, small hands, left hands and right hands. Barnel is another notable brand of secateurs.
I also recommend a leather holster for your secateurs. They’re great for keeping them on your belt rather than putting a hole in your back pocket. I’ve tried a few different versions of holster, and the Felco leather holster is the only one that lasts longer than a week before breaking (I’ve had mine for over 12 years now and it’s still in daily use).
I avoid secateurs with ratchet systems, as they are not long lasting enough for my work. However, they can be a great addition to backyard gardeners’ tool kits.
Don’t overwork your secateurs. Use secateurs to cut through small sticks up to finger thickness. The general rule is that if you start to strain, or need to rock the secateurs to cut the branch, then it’s time to grab some loppers or a pruning saw to do the job instead. This approach is better for both the longevity of your tools and for the tree.
Come along to my fruit tree pruning workshop this Friday 24 July to learn more about pruning equipment and how to use it.
A magic bullet for invasive grasses?
English couch grass (or its close relative) is encroaching from the surrounding pasture into my vegetable garden and raised beds. I am digging it out of each bed and digging a channel around each bed which I will have to monitor. Any thoughts you might have on their management will be appreciated.
Lewis S, Woodend, Vic