Using the right cutting tool is one of the fastest ways to level up your garden. Cleaner cuts heal faster, plants stay healthier, and you’ll spend way less time fighting through stems with the wrong tool.

Here’s a simple guide to the most common cutting tools, what they’re for, when to use them, and which ones are worth keeping in your gardening bag.

1) Bypass pruners (pruning shears)

Job: clean, precise cuts on living plants
Bypass pruners have two curved blades that pass each other like scissors. That “scissor cut” is gentler on green stems and reduces crushing.

Best for:

• live stems and branches
• flowers and deadheading
• herbs and veggie pruning
• light shrub and perennial cutback

Why they matter: the cleanest cut = the best healing.

2) Anvil pruners

Job: tougher cuts on dead or dry wood
Anvil pruners have one sharp blade that closes onto a flat surface (the “anvil”). They’re powerful, but they can crush softer, green stems.

Best for:

• dead branches
• dry woody stems
• cutting back tough, dead perennial stalks
• cleanup jobs where precision isn’t the goal

Tip: if you’re cutting live growth, reach for bypass instead.

3) Hedge shears

Job: shaping, trimming, and “evening out”
Hedge shears have long blades for sweeping cuts across a surface, great for creating clean lines.

Best for:

• hedges (cedar, boxwood, etc.)
• shaping shrubs
• trimming soft new growth for a tidy look

Not ideal for: thick branches, use loppers for those.

4) Loppers

Job: thick branches with leverage
Loppers are basically pruners with long handles. More leverage = less effort and cleaner cuts on thicker wood.

Best for:

• branches too thick for hand pruners
• shrub rejuvenation and thinning
• small trees
• cutting out damaged limbs after storms

Pro tip: if you’re forcing a cut with pruners, you needed loppers.

5) Hatchet

Job: heavy-duty chopping and quick yard work
A hatchet isn’t a precision tool, it’s your “get it done” tool for tougher jobs.

Best for:

• thick woody stems
• splitting old stakes
• chopping tough brush
• quick outdoor fixes and cleanup

Tip: for clean cuts on branches, loppers are usually better. Hatchets are best when you’re removing, splitting, or rough-cutting.

Extra cutting tools worth adding
(highly recommended)

6) Pruning saw

Job: branches that are too thick for loppers
If you have mature shrubs or trees, a pruning saw is a game-changer. It cuts cleaner than forcing loppers and is safer than hacking.

Best for:

• thicker limbs
• removing dead wood cleanly
• fruit tree pruning

7) Snips / harvest scissors

Job: delicate cuts and harvesting
These are small, precise, and perfect for herbs, greens, and flowers.

Best for:

• harvesting basil, parsley, greens
• deadheading flowers
• cutting small stems without damaging nearby growth

8) Sharpening tool (stone or sharpener)

Job: keep everything cutting clean
Sharp tools make cleaner cuts, reduce disease entry points, and are easier on your hands.

Best for:

• pruning shears
• loppers
• hatchets (with the right sharpener)
• pruning saws (some styles)

Quick “Which tool do I grab?” cheat sheet

• Soft green stems / flowers → Bypass pruners or snips
• Dry dead wood → Anvil pruners
• Shaping hedges → Hedge shears
• Thicker branches → Loppers
• Really thick limbs → Pruning saw
• Chopping, splitting, rough cleanup → Hatchet

Bonus tip: clean your tools (especially between plants)

If you’re pruning anything diseased or you’re moving between plants, a quick wipe helps prevent spreading problems.

And always store tools dry. Rust ruins cutting edges fast.

Want help building the perfect pruning kit?

Pop in and tell us what you’re pruning (roses, shrubs, fruit trees, perennials, hedges) and we’ll help you choose the right tools so your cuts are clean and your plants stay healthy.