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📍 Knight’s Roses, 44 Jack Cooper Drive, Evanston
📅 Saturday 20 June & Saturday 1 August
🕙 10am – 2pm

🌟 Free pruning demonstrations at 11am & 12.30pm
– Presented by the Rose Society of South Australia

Enjoy roses, gardening accessories, refreshments and expert advice from the Rose Society of South Australia.

Pruning is not difficult with the right equipment. You need good bi-pass secateurs, good loppers and a pruning saw. Wear all leather gloves, preferably gauntlets. A pruning saw is ideal for cuts over 2.5cm. Here are a few tips.

Knight’s Roses stock FELCO tools and highly recommend using the quality bypass Secateurs made by Felco in Switzerland. Established in 1945, FELCO is world famous for its range of precision tools. They are high-quality, efficient, durable and sustainable as all parts are replaceable. On average, the blade made from hardened stainless-steel lasts around 10 years and then can be replaced. Perhaps the most well-known is FELCO 2, however FELCO 6 is sometimes called “Lady Felco” as the secateurs fit perfectly and comfortably into a smaller hand and are not as heavy as the classic FELCO 2. The latest innovation is the FELCO 2e cordless electric pruner for heavy horticultural work.  You can buy cheap snips for $9 but they will not last and they will not do the job efficiently.

What you need:

• Old rag for cleaning.
• Choose either the FELCO 905 sharpening tool as it takes the guess work out of sharpening and it’s an adjustment tool if you want to change a blade or tighten anything or choose the EZE-LAP Diamond Sharpener.  These are best described as a type of file. When sharpening, use the medium file to smooth out any notches in the blade and initial passes then finish off with the FINE sharpener for an even sharper blade.
• Oil for lubrication, either FELCO 980 Lubricant Spray or sewing machine oil. Its light and the right density.
• A cleanser to clean the build-up of dried-on sap on the blades. We have tried just about everything.  We’ve had success with a kitchen product called Barkeeper’s Friend Cleanser, it’s a powder available from supermarkets, designed to clean stainless steel. You can also try  FELCO 981 spray or WD40 and Steelo pads to rub the blades clean.

Clean the blade with a steelo pad, dish scouring pad or stiff brush, water and Barkeeper’s Friend Cleanser or Felco spray. Clean and wipe.Take the diamond sharpener startingwith Medium.

The Bevel Edge

• First hold the sharpener at 23° angle: The Blade is the only area to sharpen. You do not sharpen the anvil.  Using a sharpener, apply light, consistent, circular or sweeping motions on the bevelled (outer) side of the cutting blade. Moving up and down the blade. Maintain a shallow 23° angle – roughly half of a 45° angle.
• Second a 60° angle:  Next using a steeper angle at about 60 degrees do a sweeping motion with the sharpener, pulling downwards against the edge of the length of the blade applying light pressure.
• Don’t Over-sharpen: Use light pressure, letting the tool do the work.
• Burr Removal: Next turn the blade over and hold the sharpener flat against the back (flat side) to remove any metal burrs which may have formed during sharpening. So, we are checking that the flat side is smooth.
• Finishing: Close the secateurs and check for sharpness. Oil the blade to prevent rust. Oil the bolt in the middle. And if necessary, oil the spring just slightly.

Felco’s Key Tips for Maintenance:

• Angle Matters: Focus on maintaining the 23° factory bevel for optimal performance.
• Tightness Adjustment: If your secateurs are just too tight or too loose, they can be adjusted by the centre bolt to ensure smooth action.
• Dismantle for Deep Clean:  You can dismantle the pruners to clean and grease the pivot pin, particularly if they are very sticky. If you can’t do it, there are places where you can have this service done for you.

Loppers have a sharp, strong blade, making it easy to cut through rose canes and you get extra power using two hands. Over the years, we have found it very helpful to have several loppers with different length handles, such as the long-handle loppers, great to reach into your fruit trees. It is always recommended to use a quality brand, such as FELCO. These loppers will last a lifetime and have a great design, excellent curvature of the anvil for easy cutting when pruning. The shock absorbing  rubber stoppers assist with the action. There are several Lever-Action Loppers available, such as FELCO 220 or 201.  These have strong steel handles and durable carbon steel blade, ideal for the home gardener.  They are very powerful and ideal for cuts bigger than 2.5cm.

It’s handy to have a pruning saw, such as FELCO 602 (16cm folding saw), easy to handle, it cuts both ways going forward and pulling backwards. This saw is ideal when you are pruning rose canes, trees and shrub branches bigger than 3cm.

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We share everything from pruning how-tos and seasonal rose advice to sneak peaks at whats blooming around the nursery.

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