Showing posts with label trees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trees. Show all posts
Fiskars Telescoping Pruning Stik Review
It is important to prune trees every year or so. Pruning trees regularly helps improve the trees health and maintains its shape and size as well as providing safety benefits.
I used to use a Fiskars 9301 Power-Lever 14-Foot Tree Pruner
but it somehow got misplaced and I decided to purchase a Fiskars 9240-6935 Telescoping Pruning Stik to replace it. I wanted to stay with Fiskars because their tools have always held up well and they have a good reputation.Both tools include a bypass pruner as well as a detachable 15" saw blade for cutting larger branches and telescope to reach higher branches but there are some features of the Pruning Stik that won me over.
I don't have a lot of trees, one large maple, and some smaller trees for privacy and decoration including arborvitae, hemlocks and cypress.
The smaller trees weren't a big problem. I'm tall so I was able to prune them effectively with a hand pruner
and a 32" bypass lopper. The taller ones were close to the house and I was able to use a ladder to reach the tops.The tall maple tree was more of a problem. Before I had the tree pruner I would just reach up and grab branches and use the pruner or lopper to trim the lower branches that were too low above sidewalks, pahways and the driveway. It was easier with two people as one could use a garden hoe to lower some branches and the other could prune them.
This wasn't ideal. I couldn't give the tree a good pruning to deal with problems higher up such as dead branches, limbs that rubbed against each other, branches that got too close to the house and allowed squirrels on the roof or to be able to open up the tree to allow more sunlight on the lawn to help it grow.
The Fiskars 9301 Power-Lever 14-Foot Tree Pruner
allowed me to address those issues. It was a very good pruner with good reach. The saw blade was very sharp as were the bypass cutters.I decided to replace it with the Fiskars 12' Telescoping Pruning Stik
because I didn't need the extra reach and the Pruning Stik offers some unique features that I thought would make it easier to use. After having the opportunity to use the Pruning Stik a few times I'm very happy I chose to purchase it.Both the Pruning Stik are Tree Pruner are fairly light, which makes them easy to handle, yet very stiff and durable. They both offer bypass cutters for small branches (1 1/8" for the Tree Pruner and 1 1/4" for the Pruning Stick) and a 15" detachable saw blade for larger limbs.
Even with the Pruning Stick and Tree Pruner fully extended they were very easy to handle. There is a slight bit of wobble when fully extended but not enough to make it unmanageable. The quick release works well and has held up to multiple uses. I typically extend and retract the pole after almost every cut because I can be a bit clumsy. The shorter length makes it easier to manage and I don't have to worry as much about accidentally hitting and breaking something.
The big advantages of the Pruning Stick for me were the rotating cutting head and the ergonomic handle instead of the rope.
Rotating Cutting Head
On the Tree Pruner the bypass cutter is in a fixed position. You hook it over the branch you want to prune then pull the rope. The saw blade is removable but can be left on while using the bypass pruners.
The Pruning Stik also has a removable saw blade but the instructions state that you should not use the bypass pruner with the saw blade attached.
The pruning head rotates 240 degrees. Simple unlock the head using a plastic lever, rotate the head to the angle you desire and lock the head using the lever. It's very simple.
I find coming under a branch and pruning it easier for me and being able to change the angle of the head made it a lot easier to get to branches growing in different directions. It was especially helpful for branches that were growing straight up from the main branch.
Saw Attachment
The Pruning Stik comes with a detachable saw blade that converts the Pruning Stik into a pole saw. The blade is very sharp and even when fully extended I had an easy time cutting thick branches that were too thick for the bypass cutters.
I use the bypass cutters more than the saw so I don't mind having to take a few seconds to screw on the saw blade using the wing nut if I need it.
The angle of the saw blade on the Pruning Stik also can be adjusted to a few different positions by simply unscrewing the wing nut and repositioning the bolt into a different hole on the saw blade holder then re attaching the wing nut.
There's a decent bit of adjustment available. I didn't use the saw much on the Tree Pruner and can't remember if there was any adjustment available on it.
Ropeless Ergonomic Handle
The biggest benefit of the Pruning Stik is the ropeless design. Sometimes between getting the pruner where I want it and sweating hands in the heat I accidentally let go of the rope and it swings out of reach. With the Pruning Stick that's not a problem.
There's an orange handle that you pull, which in turn pulls a strap which pulls a chain which moves the cutting head.
The handle is in a good location that allows you to have good control of the pruner by keeping both hands on the pole as opposed the a rope based design like the Tree Pruner.
There's also an orange ball at the bottom of the Pruning Stik that engages the bypass blade in case you are reaching a high branch that puts the main handle out of reach. Simply pull the orange ball to cut with the bypass pruner.
This was a little more difficult for me to use. I didn't have to go too high but I did use this feature a few times. By steading the Pruning Stick on the branch I was cutting, the light weight of the tool made it easy to keep in place with one hand while the other pulled the orange ball.
When you pull on the orange ball, the orange handle slides down as well so I was also able to pull on the orange ball to bring the regular handle down enough where I could reach it and continue the cut with both hands on the Pruning Stick.
Conclussion
The Fiskars 9240-6935 Telescoping Pruning Stik
is a great tool for the homeowner that wants to maintain the trees on their property. It's light and strong which makes it easy to use and it comes with a lifetime warranty. I found it very easy to use and faster than my old Tree Pruner.The adjustable head made it easier to get to some branches that I previously couldn't get at. The telescoping action is very easy. Just flip a lever, pull out the top and then flip the lever to tighten.
Even fully extended it was easy to use and the cutting blades were very sharp. It required very little effort to cut even 1" diameter branches.
If you have any trees on your property having this pruning stick will make it easier to keep your trees maintained and costs much less than having a professional prune a single tree in my area.
I purchased mine from Amazon because it had the lowest price at the time. It's a little more than the Tree Pruner but well worth the price in my opinion because it makes tree pruning easier. The ropeless design is also a great feature that makes setup and storage a breeze.
How To Get Grass To Grow In Shade
Growing grass in shade can present many problems. Like all plants, grass needs sunlight but shade cast by your home or trees leave some areas without much sunlight. There are also problems associated with lawns in shade that you'll need to keep an eye out for.
Some common problems with shade lawns are poor density, compacted soil, excess moisture and moss.
In this post I'll try and cover some tips to grow grass in shade.
Since we're already starting with a difficult situation and conditions we can't control, it's a good idea to have a soil test performed by a good lab to see what it is we can control. The right pH and nutrients along with a good amount of organic material will help the grass where it can.
A good lab will also ask for what type of grass you'll be growing and make recommendation on what amendments you'll need to add and in what quantities. Most shady grass types don't require as much nitrogen as other grasses in this area. Typically 2-3 lbs of N per 1,000 square feet. If you're recycling your grass clippings by mulch mowing (which you should) you'll be providing some N so you'll be applying even less fertilizer.
Soil pH is also important and you should add lime as recommended in your soil test. If you're having difficulty growing grass under your trees, some people believe it's because the needles some evergreens drop will alter the pH of the soil since they are acidic and because evergreens prefer acidic soil. Others don't think this actually happens. All I know is if I don't add some lime under my hemlocks every few years, I can't grow grass there.
While you're examining your soil, see how well it drains and determine if it needs aeration. Because shady areas tend to be more moist due to lack of evaporation, compaction seems to be a bigger problem than in sunny parts of the lawn. At least that's been the case for me. Walking on soil when it's wet makes it compact faster than if the soil is dry.
The combination of poor drainage, lack of evaporation, soil compaction and acidic soil (low pH) can lead to moss in your lawn. Aearation will help with drainage and compaction, lime will help raise your pH if necessary.
The next step is to pick the right type of grass seed. Fine fescues tend to perform better in shade than other types of grass. Most fine fescues however are bunch type grasses which means they won't spread and heal like other varieties such as kentucky bluegrass (KBG). Creeping red fescue is the exception. It spreads by rhizomes which are underground stems that run horizontally. At certain points it will root and a new grass plant will form. For this reason, you'll find most shade grass mixes contain some creeping red fescue.
I wind up overseeding very shady areas of my lawn almost every fall and sometimes toss out some seed in spring to help keep the grass thick.
Below are three good shade seed mixes that you can choose. They're in the order of quality based on my own opinion. Highest quality first. Bonny Dunes is not something you'll likely find in your local nursery or Home Depot but you can mail order it by clicking on the photo. The other two are more easy to find in this area. Jonathan Green's Dense Shade mix is a pretty good quality shade seed mix that is available at my local nursery. Scott's Dense Shade mix has also given me good results and Scott's seeds now come coated with Zeba technology which retains moisture. So you can still miss a day of watering and still get good germination. Since shady areas don't dry out as fast, I find that if I throw around any seed when the weather calls for a few days of rain I get good germination rates within a week without watering at all.
Click on each picture for more information.
Grass won't survive in complete darkness. Even shade tolerant grass needs at least some direct sun during the day. The more light you give it the better but strive for at least 2 hours of sunlight per day.
If the grass in question is shaded by trees, especially from a deciduous tree, the leaves can create a dense canopy that will prevent light and water from reaching your lawn. In this case you should consider pruning your trees.
Trees need pruning from time to time. It helps them keep a nice shape, provide good air flow and remove dead branches or branches that may otherwise be injuring the tree.
I like the Fiskars Power-Lever 14-Foot Tree Pruner #9301 pictured to the right. (update I bought a new tree pruner. Check out my Fiskars Telescoping Pruning Stik review. Amazon has the cheapest price for this extendable Fiskars tree pruner and free shipping. It's better than the tree pruner that my local nursery carries. It has a pair of loppers that are operated by a pull rope which can cut small branches up to 3/4" in diameter. I try to to use it only for thinner branches though as I find the saw is very sharp and works better. It's a bit awkward at first but you get used to it. I recommend making some practice cuts far away from where you plan to make the final cut until you start to get the hang of it. The 14' extendable pole helps you get high up into the tree.
You can tackle a lot of tree pruning on your own, it's not very difficult. Just be smart, try not to have anything crash down on anything you don't want crushed like your car, your head or your neighbor's dog. If you think you need to do a lot of pruning or that it's too risky for you call an arborist.
You should also read and understand how and when to prune your particular tree. I can't cover all trees in this post but here are the basics. You should search for information on your specific tree.
In general, deciduous trees, trees that drop their leaves in fall, the best time to prune is late winter or early spring before the tree starts developing leaves. Some trees will "bleed" when pruned. This isn't anything to worry about but you may not want sap dripping on your car if you leave it in the driveway.
Evergreen trees are best pruned in late winter but some, like pine, are pruned in June.
Fruit trees should be pruned between February and April. Using the pruner, you can cut off thin branches to open up the tree to let more light in. Just place the branch in between the pruning blades, about an inch outside the main branch past the collar, and pull with steady even pressure on the rope.
For larger branches, you want to use the 3 cut method as illustrated below
Cut 1 should be about 6-12" away from the branch collar and about 1/3 of the way through the branch. This will prevent the bark from peeling off when you make the next cut.
Cut 2 should be about an inch or so away further out than the first cut. Start from the top and saw all the way down. This cut takes off most of the weight so the last cut is cleaner.
Cut 3 starts at the top of the branch collar and angles out all the way down. The angle helps water shed which prevents rot. It's important not to cut the branch collar. The branch collar is an isolation mechanism that prevents insects and disease that might have affected a branch from spreading into the trunk.
You don't need to cover the wound, the branch collar will protect the tree. If any part of the branch was left, it will die off so just concentrate on making one nice clean cut for Cut 3. Remember, making big heavy things fall out of the sky while you're standing underneath them requires attention and concentration. Wear head protection as well as eye protection. Having sawdust get in your eye as you make the last stroke can really suck.
If you have a hard time deciding which branches to cut, here are the guidelines I follow.
Some common problems with shade lawns are poor density, compacted soil, excess moisture and moss.
In this post I'll try and cover some tips to grow grass in shade.
Soil
Since we're already starting with a difficult situation and conditions we can't control, it's a good idea to have a soil test performed by a good lab to see what it is we can control. The right pH and nutrients along with a good amount of organic material will help the grass where it can.
A good lab will also ask for what type of grass you'll be growing and make recommendation on what amendments you'll need to add and in what quantities. Most shady grass types don't require as much nitrogen as other grasses in this area. Typically 2-3 lbs of N per 1,000 square feet. If you're recycling your grass clippings by mulch mowing (which you should) you'll be providing some N so you'll be applying even less fertilizer.
Soil pH is also important and you should add lime as recommended in your soil test. If you're having difficulty growing grass under your trees, some people believe it's because the needles some evergreens drop will alter the pH of the soil since they are acidic and because evergreens prefer acidic soil. Others don't think this actually happens. All I know is if I don't add some lime under my hemlocks every few years, I can't grow grass there.
While you're examining your soil, see how well it drains and determine if it needs aeration. Because shady areas tend to be more moist due to lack of evaporation, compaction seems to be a bigger problem than in sunny parts of the lawn. At least that's been the case for me. Walking on soil when it's wet makes it compact faster than if the soil is dry.
The combination of poor drainage, lack of evaporation, soil compaction and acidic soil (low pH) can lead to moss in your lawn. Aearation will help with drainage and compaction, lime will help raise your pH if necessary.
Grass Seed For Shady Lawns
The next step is to pick the right type of grass seed. Fine fescues tend to perform better in shade than other types of grass. Most fine fescues however are bunch type grasses which means they won't spread and heal like other varieties such as kentucky bluegrass (KBG). Creeping red fescue is the exception. It spreads by rhizomes which are underground stems that run horizontally. At certain points it will root and a new grass plant will form. For this reason, you'll find most shade grass mixes contain some creeping red fescue.
I wind up overseeding very shady areas of my lawn almost every fall and sometimes toss out some seed in spring to help keep the grass thick.
Below are three good shade seed mixes that you can choose. They're in the order of quality based on my own opinion. Highest quality first. Bonny Dunes is not something you'll likely find in your local nursery or Home Depot but you can mail order it by clicking on the photo. The other two are more easy to find in this area. Jonathan Green's Dense Shade mix is a pretty good quality shade seed mix that is available at my local nursery. Scott's Dense Shade mix has also given me good results and Scott's seeds now come coated with Zeba technology which retains moisture. So you can still miss a day of watering and still get good germination. Since shady areas don't dry out as fast, I find that if I throw around any seed when the weather calls for a few days of rain I get good germination rates within a week without watering at all.
Click on each picture for more information.
Tree Pruning
Grass won't survive in complete darkness. Even shade tolerant grass needs at least some direct sun during the day. The more light you give it the better but strive for at least 2 hours of sunlight per day.
If the grass in question is shaded by trees, especially from a deciduous tree, the leaves can create a dense canopy that will prevent light and water from reaching your lawn. In this case you should consider pruning your trees.
Trees need pruning from time to time. It helps them keep a nice shape, provide good air flow and remove dead branches or branches that may otherwise be injuring the tree.
I like the Fiskars Power-Lever 14-Foot Tree Pruner #9301
pictured to the right. (update I bought a new tree pruner. Check out my Fiskars Telescoping Pruning Stik review. Amazon has the cheapest price for this extendable Fiskars tree pruner and free shipping. It's better than the tree pruner that my local nursery carries. It has a pair of loppers that are operated by a pull rope which can cut small branches up to 3/4" in diameter. I try to to use it only for thinner branches though as I find the saw is very sharp and works better. It's a bit awkward at first but you get used to it. I recommend making some practice cuts far away from where you plan to make the final cut until you start to get the hang of it. The 14' extendable pole helps you get high up into the tree.You can tackle a lot of tree pruning on your own, it's not very difficult. Just be smart, try not to have anything crash down on anything you don't want crushed like your car, your head or your neighbor's dog. If you think you need to do a lot of pruning or that it's too risky for you call an arborist.
You should also read and understand how and when to prune your particular tree. I can't cover all trees in this post but here are the basics. You should search for information on your specific tree.
In general, deciduous trees, trees that drop their leaves in fall, the best time to prune is late winter or early spring before the tree starts developing leaves. Some trees will "bleed" when pruned. This isn't anything to worry about but you may not want sap dripping on your car if you leave it in the driveway.
Evergreen trees are best pruned in late winter but some, like pine, are pruned in June.
Fruit trees should be pruned between February and April. Using the pruner, you can cut off thin branches to open up the tree to let more light in. Just place the branch in between the pruning blades, about an inch outside the main branch past the collar, and pull with steady even pressure on the rope.
For larger branches, you want to use the 3 cut method as illustrated below
Cut 1 should be about 6-12" away from the branch collar and about 1/3 of the way through the branch. This will prevent the bark from peeling off when you make the next cut.
Cut 2 should be about an inch or so away further out than the first cut. Start from the top and saw all the way down. This cut takes off most of the weight so the last cut is cleaner.
Cut 3 starts at the top of the branch collar and angles out all the way down. The angle helps water shed which prevents rot. It's important not to cut the branch collar. The branch collar is an isolation mechanism that prevents insects and disease that might have affected a branch from spreading into the trunk.
You don't need to cover the wound, the branch collar will protect the tree. If any part of the branch was left, it will die off so just concentrate on making one nice clean cut for Cut 3. Remember, making big heavy things fall out of the sky while you're standing underneath them requires attention and concentration. Wear head protection as well as eye protection. Having sawdust get in your eye as you make the last stroke can really suck.
If you have a hard time deciding which branches to cut, here are the guidelines I follow.
- dead or diseased branches
- branches that may be rubbing up another branch
- branches that look unsafe
- branches that are growing in an unnatural direction
- cut for shape
- cut to let light and rain through