Hedge maintenance is challenging, especially if you don’t have the right tools.
But, a handheld shear can make the difference by pruning all the overgrown branches and leaves.
So, it’s a valuable investment if you own some bushes, shrubs and hedges in your garden.
However, this apparatus can destroy the plants if used inappropriately.
What are Hand Hedge Shears?
Hand-operated or manual hedge shears are similar to scissors, but these gardening instruments come with significant blades generally around 1-foot long.
Some of the models are also available with wavy edges that help them hold the stem while cutting it.
However, these variants are tough to sharpen.
Due to giant edges, hedge shears can prune a notable area that’s not possible using any other gardening tool.
So, creating long and straight finishing lines on your plants is easy using such tools. However, these cuts are not natural or suitable for most of the plantations in your garden.
Hedge shears are required if you have to maintain formal hedges. Plus, they are beneficial to prune ornamental and perennials grasses.
If you want to shape a plant by cutting its wooden framework, loppers, saws, and pruners are better instruments.
Also read: Manual vs Electric Garden Shears Which is Better?
When to Use Hand-held Hedge Shears?
You can use hedge shear under three conditions. Keep in mind that this gardening tool is only effective on soft stems that are not very wooden. For heavy tasks a petrol powered or electric hedge shears are more suitable.
Hedge shears cannot deal with rigid stems or branches, even if they are thin. Cutting such plants using hedge shears results in inaccurate results and also damages the tool’s blades.
Maintenance of formal hedges
Well, it’s easy to understand by the name. So, even a beginner can understand what the primary responsibility of hedge shears is.
These tools are perfect if you wish to create some geometric shapes on the newly grown edges. For instance, you can use hedge shears to cut boxwood in straight lines.
Shears are suitable when you want the hedges to appear artificial and stylish.
However, these tools are only applicable to a limited range of plants. Plus, the straight line might be inappropriate if you prefer a natural appearance.
Also read: How Do You Maintain a Healthy Hedge?
Cutting Perennials
Hedge shears are helpful when you want to cut perennials back to their crown. It’s better to perform this task in the early spring or fall.
Shears are perfect for this task because perennials don’t seek precise cuts. Plus, their soft stems are easy to cut because they are dead.
Hedge shears are perfect for delicate plants. For instance, you can use them on hostas, catmint, lilyturf, and multiple other ornamental plantations.
On the contrary, this tool is unsuitable if you want to thin cane plants like raspberries.
Shears cannot deal with semi-woody perennials that become hard at the steam base, especially if you attempt to cut them closer to the ground.
Some of the mint plants fall in this category.
Also read: Can You Trim a Hedge With a Chainsaw?
Deadheading
Some plants are prolific and grow at a significant rate, which is almost impossible to control without any tool.
Vine and some non-wooden clematis are a few greens that proliferate. Hand shears are also perfect for some prolific flowering plants, including tickseed, lavender, and Santolina.
Conclusion
Similar to a scissor, hedge shears are meant to snip the target and create straight lines.
The accuracy depends upon the task and plants you are handling. This tool is not effective when you try to cut above the plant nodes.
Hence, try hand shears to design particular patterns on your hedges, cut perennials and yearly taming.