© Copyright 2015. All Rights Reserved. This manual contains material protected under International and

United States Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, scanning, photocopying, or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder.

The author and publisher of this manual and the accompanying materials have used their best efforts in preparing this material. Considering they have no idea how you’ll actually implement this content, the author and publisher shall in no event be held liable for any loss or other damages. This information should not be considered a source of legal, accounting or other professional services.

Table of Contents

Step 1: Know Why Pruning is Critical for Healthy Plants ............. 4

Step 2: How to Select the Right Pruning Tools .................................. 8

Step 3: Learn the Best Time to Prune Your Plants ........................ 12

Step 4: Simple Pruning Techniques for Indoor Plants ................ 15

Step 5: Basic Pruning Methods for Outdoor Plants ...................... 19

Step 6: Essential Post-Pruning Plant Care ........................................ 23

Step 7: Avoid Common Pruning Mistakes ........................................ 26

Maintenance Instructions for Your Shears ...................................... 29

4

Step 1: Know Why Pruning is Critical for Healthy Plants

Lots of people love to fill their yard with lovely

ornamental plants. In the beginning, the landscaping looks

amazing. It enhances the property’s assets and hides some

of the flaws. What frustrates many homeowners is that the

effect never seems to last. After a few years, the outdoor

plants start to look ragged, and some will start to die. Since

most homeowners have been good about watering and

fertilizing their ornamental bushes and trees, they cannot

understand why the plants fail to thrive.

More often than not, the problem has to do with the fact

that the outdoor plants haven’t been properly pruned. Most

people assume that the only reason they need to prune the

plants they’ve used to landscape their property is to

maintain the plant’s shape. Horticulture experts know better.

They have learned that good pruning is an important part of

keeping all plants healthy.

Pruning Encourages the Growth of Roots

If a tree was started as a seed in your yard, it likely has

a very healthy root system. However any trees that you

purchased and incorporated into your landscaping project

will be a different story. No matter how careful you are, the

young tree will have experienced some root damage. Since

some ornamental trees have been moved three or four times

before making their way to your home, the damage could

be significant.

5

Oddly, the best way to convince the newly transplanted

tree to generate more roots will be to get out your pruning

shears. Ideally, the amount you prune from the top of the

tree should match the amount of root loss.

Pruning Conserves Energy

The larger an ornamental tree gets, the more energy it

has to devote to its continued growth. This leaves it more

susceptible to insect infestations and diseases. Regularly

pruning trees and rose bushes makes it easier for the plants

to maintain optimum health. If you have fruit trees in your

yard, the amount of energy they conserve after you have

pruned them back goes into the fruit they produce, resulting

in a bountiful harvest.

Pruning Prevents Disease from Spreading

Plants are not all that different from people. If you get

an infection in your hand, and it goes untreated, it can

spread to the rest of your body. The same can happen to

your yard plants. Every few months you want to carefully

inspect each of the plants you have used to landscape your

yard. If you see signs that one section of the tree or bush

does not look healthy, you need to get out your pruning

shears and remove that particular section. Do not worry

about what the final results will look like; your first priority

has to be removing the sick section before it can spread to

the rest of the plant. Not only will pruning the section help

save the life of that particular plant, but it also prevents the

disease from spreading to your other outdoor plants.

6

Pruning Keeps Trees Strong

When ornamental trees are left to their own devices,

they can split into two, resulting in crotches and multiple

branches. While this creates some interesting looks and can

even make for some great tree climbing experiences, the

splitting of the trunk and limbs weakens the tree, increasing

the chances of the tree getting severely damaged during

wind storms or heavy snowfall.

Pruning Keeps Your Yard Safe

Pruning is not just good for the health of your yard

plants; it is also good for your health. Not only will the

time outside be good for your mental health since you will

find it relaxing, but by pruning the branches that have

started to grow too long, you decrease the chances of them

snapping and potentially falling on you or one of your pets.

The more diligent you are about pruning, the safer your

yard will be.

Your Plants Will be Rejuvenated

If a great deal of time has passed since the last time

your plants were pruned, you might notice that they seem

to be tired. The color of their leaves is not as deeply green

as it was a few years ago, and the blooms are not as

plentiful or big. Pruning your plant will give it a fresh lease

on life. It will be completely rejuvenated. Some people opt

to prune the plant to about half its current size when they

want to rejuvenate it, while others will prune it even shorter,

basically starting all over again from scratch.

7

The best time to prune your trees and other lawn plants

is in the late fall, after the leaves have fallen.

8

Step 2: How to Select the Right Pruning Tools

You already know that regularly pruning your yard and

houseplants is an important part of keeping them looking

great and is also critical for maintaining their health. In

order to get the job done properly, you need to have the

right tools.

Hand Pruners

Hand pruners allow you to do more delicate work than

you can accomplish with a pair of large pruning shears. The

pruners let you get in and nip small branches and to clean

up the shape of the plant. Make sure they feel comfortable

in your hand. You want a pair that is easy to handle. The

best hand pruners will have coated steel blades and the

handles will be padded.

Hedge Shears

No pruning kit can be considered complete until you

have added a good quality pair of hedge shears. You are

going to use these shears for the big jobs. They are perfect

when you need to remove a significant amount of a plant,

such as a rose bush that needs to be rejuvenated. They work

best when used on plants that have thin to medium width

branches. Landscapers love to use hedge shears when they

have to sculpt evergreen bushes or are working with young

fruit trees.

9

Loppers with Long Handles

It can take some time to get used to using long handled

loppers, but once you are comfortable with them, you are

going to love them. They allow you to remove branches

and vines that are overhead without you having to get out a

ladder. They work especially well on fruit trees.

Where to Find Pruning Tools

When it comes to purchasing your set of pruning tools,

you have several different places you can choose from…

Online Stores

The online stores, like Amazon.com, often have the

best prices, but you will not be able to handle the tools

before making a purchase. Make sure you read the online

reviews from other customers or, at the very least, make

sure the product or store has a great guarantee (like

Zavaland’s Ironclad Lifetime Satisfaction Guarantee).

When considering getting your tools from an online retailer,

remember to calculate the cost of shipping into the

purchase price.

Local Garden Supply Stores

Garden supply stores usually have a great selection of

pruning tools, but they can also be a bit pricy. They are a

great place to go if you want to learn how well a particular

brand fits your hand, or you have questions about how a

10

tool works. However, in the end, most people use an online

retailer for the purchase.

Estate Sales

If someone in your area has a beautiful yard and garden

and announces that they are going to be hosting an estate

sale, it is in your best interest to go. Chances are pretty

good that you will find some beautiful pruning tools for a

great price.

Consider Your Pruning Tools an Investment

While you do not have to spend a small fortune on your

pruning tools, you also do not want to scrape by with the

cheapest set of tools you can find. Remember that your

tools preserve the health of your plants and help maintain

your property’s beauty. When you purchase your first set of

pruning tools you need to think of them as a long term

investment.

Care for the Pruning Tools Properly

As long as you are willing to take the time needed to

care for the tools properly, they will last you for several

decades. You might even be able to pass them onto your

children someday.

Make sure you never leave the tools outside, not even

for one night. Leaving the tools lying around invites kids to

play with them, which could result in serious injury.

Another problem with leaving the tools outside is that

exposure to the elements can cause them to rust.

11

If the shears do not open and close easily, you should

not try forcing them to work properly, as that increases the

chances of breaking the tool. What you need to do is oil the

hinges and pins. After a minute or two, the tool should

work just as easily as it did when you first bought it.

Keep your tools in good condition. Most garden shops

and local plant nurseries will be happy to make any repairs

you need, or to sharpen blades that get dull. You can also

get many of these repair tools online, at sites like

Amazon.com. This type of work can add several years of

life to each of your pruning tools.

12

Step 3: Learn the Best Time to Prune Your Plants

Just before the cold weather sets in and everything is

still growing, you are going to want to walk through your

yard and take note of the condition of your plants. Assess

which ones did well, which ones did not seem as vibrant as

they used to be, and which ones seem to be really

struggling. You also need to make note of any signs of

insect infestation or disease that could be compromising the

health of your plants. When you decide to prune your

plants, the notes you take will help you create a plan of

attack.

When is the Best Time to Prune?

The best time to prune has always been a matter of

debate. Most people say that the ideal time to prune is late

in the winter/early spring when the plants are not quite

ready to come out of their dormant stage. While this is

good advice, it can also be tricky. The weather the past few

years has been funny, with springtime temperatures

catching everyone by surprise and causing the plants to

burst from their dormant phase several weeks sooner than

anyone anticipated. Once they leave the dormant phase,

they generally should not be pruned.

If you are confident that you will be able to get your

plants pruned before the sap starts to flow, then by all

means, you should hold off until the late winter. But if you

are worried, you should take note of the commercial fruit

orchards and start your pruning in November. Your yard

plants will still be in a dormant state and you’ll be able to

13

relax and do a good job of pruning instead of trying to rush

through the process.

Also, if you have any intention of grafting any of your

yard plants together, you will have to put off your pruning

until the late winter or else you will have a difficult time

getting the graft to take.

One Summertime Exception

Even though you should not plan on a complete pruning

session during the spring and summer when your plants are

producing sap, there are some exceptions. If you have had a

storm and a branch has gotten damaged, it is in your best

interest to get your long handled lopper out and remove it

right way. You will want to trim it just behind the broken

part. Cut in one smooth, sharp stroke. The cut will provide

a bit of seal, decreasing the amount of sap the tree loses.

More importantly, by removing the broken branch

yourself, you do not have to worry about it breaking loose

and striking a human or pet walking beneath the tree. Nor

will you have to worry about it doing additional damage to

your ornamental tree.

What Should You Prune

By this point, you should have a pretty good idea of

what you want your yard to look like. Get out your pruning

shears and give yourself plenty of time to carefully shape

your trees, shrubs, and bushes. This will be a gradual

process with you taking a step back to survey your work

every few snips.

14

If you noticed any plants that showed signs of stress

during the fall, you will want to remove the part that was

struggling. Even though removing a major limb might not

create the look you seek, it is an important step that will

help keep your tree healthy.

Most landscaping artists suggest setting up an afternoon

where you focus on pruning the dead or sick parts from the

plants before you start to shape the plants.

Take a Class

Pruning, especially if you are trying to create specific

shapes, is an art. You should not expect to grab a pair of

hedge trimmers and immediately create the look you seek.

There is going to be a great deal of trial and error in the

beginning, which is why you should probably use the

bushes located in your backyard to practice. Consider

taking a master gardener class where you will get great tips

about how to properly care for the plants you have on your

property.

What to Do if You Notice a Problem

If one of your yard plants has been impacted by insects

or seems to have developed a disease, you do not want to

ignore the situation. You want to get the problem diagnosed

by a professional and then take the steps needed to keep the

problem away from the rest of your yard’s plants. The best

people to consult in this situation are professional

horticulturists or cooperative extension agents.

15

Step 4: Simple Pruning Techniques for Indoor Plants

Houseplants are a great way to make the interior of

your home just a little cozier, plus they help ensure that you

have plenty of fresh air to breathe. Do not, however, fool

yourself into thinking that as long as your houseplants get

plenty of water and sunlight that they will remain healthy

and happy.

Indoor plants, just like the ones you use to landscape

your yard, occasionally need to be pruned in order to stay

healthy.

Keep the Plant from Getting Too Big

Let’s face it: There is a limited amount of space in your

home. The last thing anyone needs is a houseplant that

grows and grows. By taking the time to regularly prune the

plant, you don’t have to worry about it taking over the

room. Keeping the visible part of the plant trimmed back to

a manageable size means that the roots will not outgrow the

pot, and you do not have to transfer the plant to a bigger pot

(a process that houseplants find very stressful).

When to Prune

Unlike outdoor plants, which have a dormant period, a

large portion of houseplants stay awake and healthy all year

long. This makes knowing the best time to prune your

houseplants tricky. Horticulture experts recommend

observing your houseplants and trying to identify the

periods of time when they do not seem in an active growth

16

phase. For example, a couple of weeks after the plant has

stopped blooming would be a great time to get out your

hand pruners and trim it back a little bit.

Keep Your Hand Pruners Sharp and Clean

Plants are made up of living tissue, and if bacteria get

into a cut in the tissue, the plant could develop a life-

threatening illness. While pruning, remember that fungus

can be just as deadly to houseplants as bacteria, so be on

the lookout.

One of the best ways to make sure you do not

accidently compromise the health of your houseplants after

they have been pruned is by paying careful attention to

your hand pruners. Keep the blades sharp, so that they seal

up the cut, decreasing the amount of time it takes the

houseplant to heal.

Whenever you have been working with a plant that

does not seem completely healthy, you need to sanitize

your hand pruners in order to avoid deadly cross-

contamination.

Certain Pruning Techniques Encourage Growth

If you want your houseplants to have a specific look,

you need to adjust your pruning style so that the plant

wants to grow. The simplest way to do this is by picking a

few stems that have dominant buds on them. After they

have been snipped, the stems will grow rapidly. Many

horticulture experts suggest snipping every other latent

stem so the entire plant grows. Once the plant has expanded,

you can go back and start to shape it.

17

Pruning Vines

Houseplant vines, like ivy, look stunning, but they can

quickly get out of control. With a little careful pruning, you

will be able to control the ivy’s growth and also train it to

grow in certain ways. It is in your best interest to remove

any side shoots the vine ends up developing and convince

the plant to focus all its energy on the main vine. You can

use popsicle sticks and a little bit of floss tied to the vine to

encourage it to grow up the support chain.

Watch for Dead Leaves

Each time you water your houseplants, give them a

careful inspection. Even though it might be a few months

before you have to prune them, if you spot any dead leaves

or buds that never bloomed, you should get a pair of hand

pruners and remove them from the plant. Do not pull the

leaves off, as pulling causes the plant to hemorrhage sap.

Don’t Overdo Things

It’s easy to get carried away while pruning houseplants.

The rule of thumb is that unless it’s a plant that basically

likes to start out from scratch each year, you shouldn’t

prune more than 25% of the plant. Over-pruning could kill

your houseplant or cause it to grow back in a deformed

manner

18

Check to Make Sure the House Plant Should Get

Pruned

Not all houseplants can handle being pruned, especially

on a regular basis. It is important to know the needs of your

particular plants, and thanks to Google, this is easier than

ever.

For instance, if you grow orchids, you should only

remove the dead flowers from the spikes. If you have added

a Norfolk pine or any miniature palm trees to your home,

avoid pruning them. The pruning could kill the plant.

19

Step 5: Basic Pruning Methods for Outdoor Plants

Having a good looking, beautifully landscaped yard

will take a great deal of commitment on your part. In

addition to mowing the lawn, pulling weeds out of the

flowerbeds, and raking leaves, you also have to take

responsibility for pruning your outdoor plants.

If you are not thrilled about the idea of getting out the

hedge clippers at least once a year and reshaping all of your

bushes, hedges, and ornamental trees, that is okay! You can

choose to landscape your property with trees and bushes

that do not need to be pruned. However, know your options

will be limited.

The good news is that there are some basic methods for

pruning outdoor plants that make it easy to keep your lawn

looking great and stocked with healthy plants. Pruning does

not need to be nearly as complicated as most think it is.

Get Your Equipment Ready for the Task

Pruning your outdoor plants will be an impossible task

if your pruning tools are dull. Before you start to prune

your plants, oil your shears and loppers so they open and

close smoothly. You may also take your pruning tools to a

garden supply store and make arrangements for them to

sharpen the blades (assuming you do not just want to

replace the blades, which is also a viable option).

20

Study Your Plants

The first step to pruning any outdoor plant will always

be removing the dead branches and twigs. Not only does

the dead matter look unattractive, but during storms, if the

dead matter snaps off in the wind, it could damage the rest

of the tree or hedge.

Once the dead matter has been removed, you need to

take a step back and really look at the plants. You need to

determine which branches are part of the central unit and

which are offshoots. You want to stay away from the

central branches as much as you possibly can and focus on

only trimming the offshoots.

Take Your Time and Study Your Work

Give yourself plenty of time to complete the project. It

is okay if it takes several days to get one bush trimmed.

Remember, every time you prune a bit of a bush or tree,

you should take a step back and really study the results.

Make sure that the shape being formed is exactly what you

want, and that you have not inadvertently created

something that is not visually pleasing.

If you do make a mistake and accidentally take too

much, don’t sweat it. Sure, you may have to live with an

oddly-shaped tree for a little while, but eventually it will

grow enough that you can correct the mistake. Plus, it is

quite possible that, as time passes, you will learn to love

your new shape.

Don’t Get too Aggressive with your Trimming

21

As you start pruning your plant, make sure you exercise

caution. As a rule of thumb, you should generally not take

more than 30% of the plant each time you prune. It should

be enough that you can control the growth, but not so much

that the plant cannot recover. If you take too much off

during one pruning session, it can overwhelm your plant

and ultimately cause it to die. As long as you prune

carefully and make small cuts, you should be fine.

Start at the Sides and Work Your Way Up

A common mistake many people make is starting at the

very top of the plants. More often than not, this results in a

strangely shaped plant. The best way to prune is by tackling

the sides and working your way upward. By doing this, you

can gradually taper the top, creating a pleasing looking tree

or shrub.

Crawl Under the Plant if Possible

When you crawl under the bush or shrub you are

pruning, it is likely that you will identify many little shoots

coming out of the base. These might look harmless, but if

you ignore them, you will quickly learn that they grow

aggressively. It is a great deal easier to take your hand

pruners and snip these shoots while they are still small and

easy to reach, and before they have an entire season to

grow.

Remember, the only time you should get out your

pruning tools after the sap has started to flow is if a part of

the tree or bush has gotten damaged or infected and needs

22

to be removed. Regular, maintenance-style pruning should

only be done during a plant’s dormant period.

23

Step 6: Essential Post-Pruning Plant Care

As you know by now, pruning is an essential part of

caring for your plants. The good news is that most plants

handle pruning well and do not need a great deal of special

post-pruning care, especially if you did not take more than

30% of the plant when you trimmed it. However, it is still

in your plant’s interest for you to pay attention and be on

the lookout for signs of stress.

What to Do If a House Plant Exhibits Post-Pruning

Trauma

Traditionally, houseplants have a harder time

recovering from pruning sessions than your outdoor plants

do. It is likely that the reason they struggle has to do with

the fact that they do not go into a dormant phase and have

to be pruned while their sap still flows. Give your

houseplants a great deal of “TLC” after you have pruned

them, as this encourages fast healing.

In addition to placing the plant in an area where it gets

direct sunlight and keeping the soil properly aerated and

watered, you need to make sure the plant is kept warm.

This will also be a good time to fertilize your plant. Within

a few weeks, your houseplant should be good as new.

One thing you should not do during this time is change

the pot you have your plant in. Plants can only handle so

much stress at once. Wait at least a month before you try to

do any transplanting.

24

Post-Pruning Care for Outdoor Plants

The good thing about outdoor plants is that they are

tough. Even plants that people typically think of as delicate,

like roses, can actually withstand a great deal. They can be

broken by falling trees and even ripped apart by the wind,

but will often will regenerate and carry on. Pruning usually

does not hurt them.

Even though it is likely your outdoor plants are tough,

that does not mean you should skip indulging them in a

little post-pruning care. The best thing you can do for your

outdoor plants is make sure they have the proper food to

start growing again once the weather gets warm. On the

first few warm days of spring, take the time to thoroughly

fertilize all of your outdoor plants. The added boost of

nutrition will be enough to get them over the lingering

trauma of being pruned.

Dealing with Bleeding

The biggest risk associated with pruning has always

been bleeding. This is a condition that can impact the

health of both indoor and outdoor plants. Just like when

you cut the tip of your finger and bleed, if a plant has an

unclosed wound, it also bleeds. The only difference is that

the plant oozes sap instead of actual blood.

A plant that is bleeding experiences the same potential

health problems you do from your sliced finger. Not only

are you losing energy that will eventually have to be

replaced, but the wound is the perfect place for bacteria to

get into the plant and compromise its overall health. The

oozing sap can also attract all sorts of insects that you

25

would rather not have on your property. As the owner of

the plant, you need to take steps to get the bleeding stopped.

For generations, horticulturists treated bleeding plants

with a binding process. The results were mixed. Sometimes

it worked, and other times they put the plant under so much

stress that it was unable to survive. Today, most

horticulturists try to let the plants heal themselves. They

have found that exposure to the open-air helps clot the sap,

which forms a natural bandage. If the bleeding continues,

pruning the site again and using a different angle or sharper

pair of pruning shears can sometimes close the wound and

stop the oozing sap.

Make note of any plants that had bleeding issues after

you pruned them. If the problem occurs after each pruning,

you may need to forgo pruning them and simply let them

grow wild and unchecked, or you will have to replace them

altogether.

If you are worried about post-pruning plant care, you

should make sure you avoid using plants that are

susceptible to pruning stress in your landscaping. Yard

plants that tend to be especially susceptible to bleeding

include birch trees, ornamental vines, and walnut trees.

When pruning any of these, you should be extra careful and

really watch the pruning sites once the sap starts to flow in

the springtime.

26

Step 7: Avoid Common Pruning Mistakes

When you first start taking care of the plants, you

should expect to make some mistakes. It is inevitable.

Pruning is an art, and it takes time to learn how to do it

properly. Do not feel bad if you notice your plants are not

quite the shape you wanted or when you accidently prune

too much off the bush. Everyone does these things; it is part

of the learning process. The good news is that there are

some mistakes that you can avoid altogether if you know

about them first.

Don’t Be Afraid of Pruning

Some people never prune their lawn plants because they

are afraid of making a mistake. Do not let this fear get the

better of you. Grab your pruning tools and start snipping at

your hedges! Once you start, you will find yourself relaxing

and beginning to enjoy yourself.

Don’t Focus Exclusively on the Top of the

Tree/Bushes

Have you ever driven past a house where every single

shrub and tree was short and incredibly fat? This effect is

created because the homeowner only pruned the very top of

everything, and hoped that it would be enough to keep the

growth in check. It is not.

Trees and bushes do not only grow upwards, they also

grow out, especially when they are in the middle of a nice

open yard. Instead of trimming off the top of your trees and

27

decorative shrubs, you need to start near the bottom and

work your way around the sides. The top should be the last

thing you prune.

Don’t Start in Your Front Yard

It is one thing for you to know you may make mistakes

the first time you try to prune your plants, but that does not

mean your neighbors and every passerby need to know

about them. When it comes to pruning, start in the backyard

where you have a little more privacy and won’t have to

worry about the fact that you took a little too much of the

crabapple tree or that the shrubs seem to list to one side. By

the time you’re done pruning in the backyard, you will

have steadier hands and a more practiced eye. Then you are

ready to take on the trees, hedges, and rose bushes planted

in the front yard.

Only Focusing on the Tips of the Branches

Fear of making a mistake or taking too much off the

plant can drive you to only removing an inch or two from

the end of each branch. By just taking the tips, you are

actually encouraging the plant to accelerate its growth. If

you remove just an inch or two of branch, the plant usually

responds by growing more than you removed. Remember,

as long as you do not take more than 30% of the plant’s

total mass, you are free to get in and really cut off a

significant portion of the branch. Even if you make a

mistake, usually the plant will grow out enough that you

can correct it.

28

Deal with Offshoots Right Away

When you look at the base of your ornamental trees,

you might be surprised to see some small leafy branches

growing from the trunk. Most people think these will be

harmless and ignore them. Don’t. Remember, the offshoots

grow fast and pruning them back the next year will be more

difficult. It is best to remove them from the trees while you

are pruning the branches.

Don’t Cut Off the Long Conifer Branches and

Consider the Tree Pruned

Unlike hardwood trees, which will sometimes

regenerate their branches, once a conifer branch has been

trimmed, it does not regrow. The entire branch dies. When

you need to remove one of the long branches from a conifer

because the tree has gotten too large, you need to make sure

you prune the limb right next to the tree’s trunk.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

There are lots of ways that you can learn how to

properly prune all of the plants in your yard and house. You

just have to know where to look. The Internet and YouTube

have all types of videos and advice about how different

types of plants should be pruned.

When you speak to your horticulture suppliers, they can

provide you with information about the best pruning tools

and strategies for your situation. Even your next door

neighbor might have some advice and tips you find helpful.

Get in there and get started!

29

Maintenance Instructions for Your Shears

Maintaining your pruning shears is easy. As long as you

give them the proper care, they’ll be around for a long time.

Remember, your shears are for flowers, bushes and

small branches (the shears are rated to 20mm). Cutting

stones or other hard objects will damage your shears…and

risk injury to you.

Also, the steel blades have excellent anti-rush

properties, but we still recommend that you keep your

shears away from fire, water and other corrosive substances.

You may have noticed your shears arrived with a light

coating of oil on them. This is to help keep them in optimal

condition. After each use of your shears, we recommend

that you clean them and then wipe them with a light coating

of light-duty household oil. You should also apply a tiny bit

of the oil to the moving parts of your shears as needed.

One more thing: As a family-owned USA-based

business, Zavaland is here to make sure you are 100%

happy & delighted with your pruning shears. Please reach

out to us online if you have any concerns or questions!