Tool of the Month - February 2019

Prepare for spring

After terribly cold conditions, February is a month for optimism, there are some signs of the approaching spring.

The appearance of bulbs and some wildlife waking up too as light levels and temperature increases. 

Time to start to prune climbers and shrubs, i.e. Wisteria and evergreen hedges.

Here are this month's top ten jobs (according to Royal Horticultural Society):

• Prepare vegetable seed beds, and sow some vegetables under cover
  
• Chit potato tubers
• Protect blossom on apricots, nectarines and peaches
• Net fruit and vegetable crops to keep the birds off
• Prune winter-flowering shrubs that have finished flowering
• Divide bulbs such as snowdrops, and plant those that need planting 'in the green'
• Prune Wisteria
• Prune hardy evergreen hedges and renovate overgrown deciduous hedges
• Prune conservatory climbers such as bougainvillea
• Cut back deciduous grasses left uncut over the winter, remove dead grass from evergreen grasses

Robust secateurs to for pruning Wisteria

Whilst you can leave wisteria to grow unchecked, for best results you'll want to prune. 

This will improve air circulation and allow for more sunlight to reach the base of the young buds. More buds equals more flowers.

Wolf Garten offer a large range of cutting tools which include secateurs, loppers, shears and scissors.

For February's tool of the month for 2019 we've selected the Wolf Garten Professional Anvil Aluminium Secateurs (25mm Cutting Diameter, Product Code: RS5000).

This handy pair is ideal for tough, woody pruning with a robust aluminium handle with smooth plastic insert. There is an integrated spring to stop it getting lost and the ergonomically designed blade helps to avoid over extension of hand.