FISKARS PowerGear II Lopper L 112590 Bypass Hook User Guide

FISKARS PowerGear II Lopper L 112590 Bypass Hook

GARDEN PERFECTED

• Fiskars was founded in the small Finnish village of the same name, when Queen Christina of Sweden granted Peter Thorwöste the privilege to manufacture cast iron and forged products. Today one of the Western world’s oldest companies, Fiskars has grown into a multinational Corporation, with products sold in more than 40 countries, spanning four continents.
• Fiskars intends to re-invent the overall gardening experience by using advanced engineering and materials to produce tools that act like an extension of the body, boost power output, enhance control and reduce strain. This ingenious simplicity has given birth to a range that comprises pruning shears, loppers, universal cutters, grass and hedge shears, shovels, rakes, reel mowers, axes, cultivating and snow tools.

Not all plants require cutting, so only grab the cutters when there is a reason to cut. Trim shrubs when they are too bushy or when the production of flowers or berries has decreased considerably. Cut off dry, dead or rough branches. Remember that cutting does not revive an ailing plant. A shoot that is gangly or too long can indicate an unsuitable habitat: too shady or sunny, too dry or wet. The soil may not have the right nutrients, or the lawn and other surrounding plants are using up all the nutrients. A shrub that has been planted too deeply will not start growing better after cutting.
Anvil or bypass?

The rule of thumb is that bypass cutters are especially suited for cutting fresh wood as the blade reaches the base of the branch. The anvil model reduces the final blow of the cutting motion so it’s ideal for cutting dry and hard wood.

PRUNING TREES

Many gardeners can be afraid of pruning trees. It is true that we have all been honing this skill for many years, quite often by trial and error, but there area several pieces of advice and principles that can help us right from the start. Before we start pruning, it is good to think everything through and to decide which plants, when and how we should prune. Also, stop and think about what you would want your garden to look like, what plants you have in it and what do you expect of your garden. Just like in school, it may not pay off just to slavishly copy what your neighbour does.

CUT AT THE RIGHT TIME

We can remove the dry or dead parts of trees or shrubs at any time of the year. However, the removal of diseased or otherwise damaged branches needs to be left for the time which is most suitable for the plant. This time is usually the dormancy period of the plant. We can start pruning coniferous trees and coniferous hedges as early as February. However, we should avoid pruning trees if temperatures below 5 °C are forecasted, because a pruned tree or shrub can be damaged by cold and frost. We should start pruning deciduous trees, shrubs and climbing plants in early March and in April. We can also carry out thinning or maintenance cutting from the middle of summer until the end of August. Trees which tend to “bleed” too strongly in spring, such as cherry trees or other stone fruit trees, as well as walnut or birches, should be cut in the middle of summer when the annual shoots mature. For example, a cherry tree can be pruned even during harvest.
Fiskars Universal Garden Cutter

Universal Garden Cutters are designed to make pruning trees and vines a more stress-free experience. With smooth-cutting saws, the sharpest pruning blades and extremely light handles you can reach high into the branches easily.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF PRUNING

First, we always remove the dead, damaged or diseased wood. At the same time, we cut off the weak offshoots or any offshoots that are growing in a disorderly manner. Then we examine the shape of the treetop and decide on which branches should be pruned or removed. If we do not intend to create special shapes such as cordons, we try to make sure that the pruning achieves a treetop shape that’s as natural as possible. Excessively radical pruning leads to rampant growth; conversely, sparser pruning limits growth. When trimming or pruning coniferous plants, we never remove the whole new offshoots, because no new buds will appear on an old branch. In the end, we would be left only with a clutter of brown twigs. The golden rule is never to remove more than one third of the green matter. It is always necessary to cut as accurately as possible in order not to damage the tree. We cut the offshoots just above a healthy bud, a pair of buds or an offshoot growing in a desired direction. We do not cut too far from the bud so that a stub does not remain, which might lead to further damage. However, we must also refrain from cutting too close in order to avoid harming the bud.

WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH PRUNING

Shaping pruning is carried out on young trees in order to achieve the growth of a strong and balanced structure of the treetop. The simplest method is to remove the dead, damaged or infected parts and weak or crossing branches. With shaping pruning, we can significantly modify the future shape of the tree, for example, we can create an espalier or a cordon. The closer the desired shape is to the natural shape, such as, for example, with a dwarf tree, the less pruning required. In fully grown plants, the goal of what is referred to as maintenance pruning is to maintain the good state of health and shape of the tree as well as to ensure good yield from fruit trees. A fully developed and fruit-producing tree, shrub or plant is pruned in order to support its optimum growth and fruit production. The basic action is to cut off the undesired offshoots and branches, which are spoiling the framework of the treetop or do not bear fruit. Correct pruning keeps an airy, not overly dense treetop, in which the ripening fruit gets enough sun and in which the fruit can be properly harvested. In old trees, which do not grow any new offshoots, which reduces their productiveness, it is possible to carry out rejuvenation pruning. With this type of pruning, we try to support the growth of new offshoots and to let more light get into the treetop. Of course, first of all, we remove the diseased and dry branches from the tree. Then we cut out all the crossing and overly dense branches. We always strive to achieve a balanced treetop as the final result. It is better to spread these efforts over a period of two or three years. If a tree in a poor condition is pruned too drastically, this can weaken the tree even more or it can completely destroy the tree.

Fiskars QuikFitTM Telescopic shaft

Fiskars QuikFitTM Telescopic shaft with curved saw is a perfect combination, if you need to prune trees and cut thicker branches from high up. The shaft is made from lightweight aluminium and adjustable up to 4 metres. Saw is a pull saw with branch hook and curved blade, which makes sawing easy even it happens 6 metres high.

CUTTING SHRUBS AND VINES

Shrubs can, if necessary, be cut in spring before growth starts (March-April). Evergreens wake up earlier from winter dormancy and can therefore be cut in February.
Shrubs can also be trimmed in midsummer when the early summer growth has slowed down. If a shrub blooms in early summer, you can first enjoy the bloom and cut it in July when the blossom has passed. If shrubs and vines that sap, such as the Amur maple and Actinidia kolomikta, need cutting it should be done in July. Potted seedlings are usually well branched out and do not require cutting. Hedge seedlings that are usually rod seedlings need cutting to branch out. A shrub can be fully renewed by dividing the cutting over three years. In the first spring/summer a third of the shrub’s old branches are removed and new growth not touched. If there is new growth in the shrub the following spring a third of the old branches are removed again. In the third year the rest of the old branches are removed and the shrub has been fully renewed and will grow nicely.

TRIMMING

If a shrub generates suckers sparingly it can be trimmed. Shrubs that can be trimmed include raspberries, currants, shrubby maples, forsythias, honeysuckles, shrubby roses that bloom with second-year shoots, mountain ash, hydrangeas and lilacs. Some shrubs can be rejuvenated by cutting them down and trimming a little every year as they get older so that the blossom and growth remain beautiful. These types of shrubs include mock-oranges, cornaceaeses, shrubby cinquefoils and common lilac. If you are not sure whether a shrub can handle cutting, only trim it.

CUTTING DOWN

If a shrub generates a lot of suckers it can usually be both trimmed and cut down. Shrubs that can be cut down include Japanese barberry, caragana, hazel, hawthorn, annually blooming shrubby roses, flowering raspberry, crack willow, purple willow, false spiraea, filipendula and snowberry. Cutting down is carried out with a garden saw, loppers or universal cutters depending on the thickness of the branches and the density of the shrub. Some shrubs, for instance panicle hydrangea, are cut differently from other shrubs. Branches that are over a year old rarely produce shoots, so the shrub should be cut every spring and only a few buds should be left in last year’s shoots. This keeps the shrub low and the bloom large. Cut cluster-flowered roses right at the growing bud. Remove all frozen shoots by cutting from the ground.
Clearing trees and bushes does not have to be a difficult and tiresome task.

Powerful tools lighten the work, giving you faster, neater results. Fiskars loppers are lightweight. SoftouchTM handles provide a better grip and unique PowerGear™ mechanism increases cutting power and distributes the power evenly throughout the cutting action.

CLUSTER-FLOWERED ROSES

When planting, strong shoots are cut above three to four healthy buds. The rose will grow wider if each of the shoot’s top buds is pointed outwards. If the shoots grow very high during summer, their tops can be cut a little in the autumn. Do not cut them too short, however, so that their winter tolerance does not suffer. Cluster-flowered roses are cut in the spring after heavy night frosts have passed and before leaves appear. Remove all frozen shoots by cutting from the ground. Select the three to five strongest shoots that have survived winter and cut them above three to four buds. If a wild shoot is growing from the base stem that looks different and has more thorns than all the others, immediately remove it from under ground as closely to the stem as possible; it’s taking energy and growing space from the cultivated rose.

RAMBLING ROSE

When planting, shoots are cut 20-30 centimetres above the bud. All damaged and dry shoots and branches are removed from rambling roses in the spring. Cut the shoots above the first healthy bud. If the vine is too dense, trim it as you would a shrub. You can also rejuvenate the vine by cutting the oldest branches to the ground and leaving a few healthy, young shoots at 40-50 centimetres. Avoid thorns by using pruners or universal cutters. Before winter, remove the vine from the trellis and cover it with dry leaves and twigs, and later with snow.

BERRY BUSHES

Berry bushes are cut like all shrubs that need trimming, i.e. in spring before leaves appear. Blackcurrants generate a plentiful crop if you cut away the oldest branches when the bush is five or six years old. Leave approximately 25 branches in the bush if it is still growing well. The oldest branches are removed from red and white currants when the bush is seven or eight years old and fewer branches are left in the bush than for blackcurrants. Old blackcurrants should be trimmed every year, other currants every few years. Raspberries are biennial bushes that produce berries in the second-year shoots. Cut the bush in spring after planting, five centimetres above ground. Seedlings that have been planted in autumn are cut the next spring in order not to weaken winter tolerance. In the first year the bush generates a lot of shoots. Raspberries can be trimmed every year. Remove the shoots that have produced a crop immediately after the harvest. These shoots will dry up and die during autumn, and pests can hibernate in them.

VINES

Vines can be trimmed but, because the branches are often intertwined, trimming can be difficult. For this reason, vines are often cut down in spring before leaves appear. Vines that sap, such as actinidia kolomikta, are carefully trimmed in July. Clematis shoots sometimes look like they have died during winter. Wait until the end of May, however, because the leaves appear late. When you are sure the shoots have died, cut them to the ground. If the vine is old and it is difficult to bring out the dead shoots from among the live ones, cut the entire vine down before the leaves appear. The root usually hibernates better than the parts that are above ground, and new shoots will start growing in June. Cut the hedge so that the base is wider than the top. This way the bottom branches will get light and stay green.

Fiskars PowerGearTM Pruner

Fiskars PowerGearTM Pruner is the ideal tool for pruning jobs. The revolutionary PowerGearTM technology triples cutting power for effortless cutting and the lightweight FiberCompTM material makes the handles virtually unbreakable. A clean and accurate cut is ensured thanks to hardened steel blades with PTFE coating.

HEDGES

A hedge that is growing strongly does not usually have to be cut. When the hedge is older it may become denser and look run-down, in which case it should be trimmed or cut down. Hedges that have been sculpted are trimmed annually. Hedge seedlings to be planted are usually rod seedlings, which are dormant. They require cutting to branch out. The seedlings are cut with hedge shears or pruners to approximately ten centimetres. If the hedge is planted in autumn the first cutting is not done until the following spring. The growth of early summer is cut after midsummer, with approximately 15 centimetres of growth left at the sides and top. Late summer growth is trimmed the following spring before the leaves appear. If the hedge is already at the desired height, only a few centimetres of new growth is left. If the hedge has become run-down you can rejuvenate it by cutting it down in spring with loppers or universal cutters. Scarlet hawthorn, caragana, chokeberries, alpine currant and common lilac are suitable for hedges that will be trimmed into shape. The same shrubs can often be used both for wildly growing hedges and ornamental hedges. Seedlings of evergreens planted in spring are cut after midsummer. This is just to even out spring growth. Thuja and spruce with single trunks are only trimmed from the sides and the top shoot is left to grow. Common yews with several trunks are trimmed both from the sides and top. If the seedlings grow a lot in late summer, the growth can be trimmed following spring. Once a thuya or spruce hedge has reached the desired height, the top shoots are trimmed annually and only a few centimetres of new growth is left on the sides. A thin-looking top will grow denser with time. An evergreen hedge cannot be rejuvenated by cutting it down. Shrubby spruces that cope best with cutting are thuya and common yew. Mountain pines remain bushy if you cut them annually. Half of the shoots are cut away with pruners right after midsummer. Shrubby spruces usually cope less well with cutting than leafy shrubs so you should only remove dead, sick or damaged branches.

A low hedge can be trimmed with normal hedge shears.

Fiskars PowerGear® mechanism increases leverage to make cutting 3X easier than single-pivot shears. Lightweight FiberComp® handles provide strength and durability. A corrosion-resistant, non-stick blade coating reduces friction to make cutting easier.

HOW TO CUT AND WHICH TOOL TO USE

By selecting the right tool for the job you save energy and ensure the well- being of your plants.

• Universal cutters help you reach difficult spots.
• Loppers are particularly suited for cutting thicker branches.
• The saw is particularly suited for removing thick (over Ø 5 cm) branches.
• An axe is good for cutting the thickest branches and splitting firewood.

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