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When it comes to gardening, there are a ton of variablesâno two gardens, or growing seasons, are ever alike. Gardening can be personal; for some, itâs a hobby, while for others, itâs a lifestyle. I have spent more than half my life working with plants, and I can tell you there is one constant among all the changes: my Felco pruners. Whether itâs apprenticing in nurseries, running my own landscaping business, or experimenting in my own garden, my two pairs of Felco pruning shears are all Iâve ever needed throughout my 30+ years as a gardener.
The first pair fell apart due to my own neglect: I was a foolish caretaker and left them out in the rain repeatedly after using them to cut branches far beyond their recommended cutting diameter. I admit my fault in this. To be honest, they could probably still be repaired. The second pair I have owned for more than 15 years, and they are as glorious as the first day I bought them.
I was introduced to Felco pruners by my first boss at a nursery in Portland, Oregon. The ânurseryâ was the property surrounding his house, filled with Japanese maples and dwarf conifers andâto appease the massesâa few hanging fuchsia baskets. âYou gotta get yourself a set of these,â Paul said. And then he gave me a pair. It was one of the greatest gardening gifts Iâve ever received. Those were the classic Felco 2, probably the most common model. They are adaptable to a variety of hand sizes and shapes and are the workhorse of many. When the time came for me to purchase a pair of my own, I opted for the Felco 6, as these Felco pruners are adapted for a smaller hand.
I use my Felcos for pretty much everything. They help me shape my fruit trees, prune shrubs, wrangle my wisteria, and cut flowers from my garden. I keep them on hand to trim up any floral bouquets and shape shrubs. They are perfectly suited for houseplants, but I donât use the same pair for this purpose as I prefer to keep a separate pair of pruning shears for indoor-only use.
The Felco 6 pruners weigh just under half a pound (0.48), which makes them usable for longer periods of time without exhaustion. The cutting diameter of the pair I own is 0.79 inches, but I admit I have pushed that to 1 inch or more on occasion. By comparison, the Felco 2 weighs 0.55 pounds and has a cutting diameter of 0.98 inches. I used the Felco 2 for years with great success, but I find the 6 much more adapted to my hand size and grip strength. These days, there are several models of Felco pruners to choose from, including left or right-handed, and you can even take a quiz on their website to determine the perfect pair. You can also have them engraved.
If youâve got a gardener in your life, whether theyâre tending a windowsill of herbs or a full-fledged flower farm, you canât go wrong with a pair of Felco pruners as a gift. I recommend purchasing the leather holster as wellâit clips onto a pocket or belt and protects the blade when not in use. This is a gift that will truly last for years and bring endless amounts of convenience and utility to the green at heart.
