Having the right gardening tools can turn an exhausting chore into a pleasure. It pays to spend a little more on quality tools that will last you for years rather than cheap and flimsy ones that will no doubt need replacing after a few seasons. Speak to the professionals at your garden centre to make sure you’re choosing the right tools for the job, and learn how to look after them properly.

Cutting Tools: What To Look For

Two essentials tools for your gardening kit are secateurs and loppers, which are used to trim and prune your shrubs and branches. Secateurs are designed for slimmer, smaller branches, and long-handled loppers are used to reach overhead branches and those with thicker stems. Features to look for include:

• Quality construction – sharp blades and strong handles
• Lightweight and comfortable enough to hold for long periods of time 
• If you have limited hand strength, look for a ratchet mechanism that makes cutting easier
• A good quality safety catch
• Loppers with versatile, telescopic arms if you’re trimming at different heights overhead
  

Caring For Your Garden Tools

Top quality gardening tools don’t come cheap, so it makes sense to look after them properly. After you’ve finished gardening, be sure to:

• Clean and dry your tools properly
• Wipe metal parts with a lightly oiled cloth to prevent rusting
• Hang them individually on an indoors tool rack in a dry spot
• Have blades sharpened at the start of each season to prevent damaging your plants
  

Quality Cutting Tools

For effortless pruning, check out the state of the art range of garden cutting tools at 2WP. Its bestsellers include secateurs with a ratchet mechanism that can reduce the effort of pruning by 300%, and lightweight loppers with telescopic arms that are designed to reduce muscle fatigue. Another product to look out for is its two in one secateurs, that combine a ratchet and non ratchet system in one for complete cutting flexibility.