Long lopping shears need a firm hand

Press, 25 July 1986, Page 12

Long lopping shears need a firm hand

Positive application of lopping; shears leaves a clean cut, and if it is made at a slight angle it will also reduce the effort required to achieve the cut. As with secateurs, the blade of lopping shears should be placed above the bud so that the shearing action is away and not toward:; it. The effectiveness of the tool is superior ‘ if it is held steady during use.? and not jiggled around as is so often done when trying to exert more power into the oper-' ation. The ( long-handled

pruner enables the removal of many out-of-reach branches. Unless care and discretion is exercised with the less robust tools of this kind they will not be able to do the job. You can easily finish up with a partly severed limb angling from an upper branch. Large cut surfaces will heal or callus over more quickly if the bark is lightly pared back with a sharp knife. The immediate application of a sealant, preferably containing a fungicide, is essential treatment for all expend

surfaces more than 10 to 15mm on Prunus species and a few others; it is not necessary on hardwoods such as Eucalyptus, or conifers and natives. Advertisement Orchid growing The orchid specialist, Alastair Macleod, begins a new 4-week Orchid Culture course next Thursday at 7 p.m. Limited vacancies. For details phone Risingholme 327359.