How to cut bushes with a brush cutter

Beautiful shrubs, like from glossy gardening topics, are the dream of every second owner of their own house or summer cottage. Do you think that in order to create a design structure for a site, it is imperative to invite a professional? Not at all, just choose a quality hedge trimmer and take into account a few rules. More details about the features of gardening equipment and the specifics of pruning shrubs – later in the article.

How to use a brush cutter: highlights

The hedge trimmer is one of the most effective means of creating a beautiful and well-groomed site. The tool will help to cope with such tasks as:

• clearing areas of tall tree grasses, seedlings or shrubs;
• the formation of a hedge from woody or herbaceous plants;
• cultivating planting areas where the lawnmower cannot be used.

Before you start cutting bushes with a brush cutter, you should choose your garden tools correctly, based on the tasks and the planted plants. There are models on the market that operate from the mains, as well as gasoline and battery devices.

Cognitive article: How a hammer drill differs from a drill: comparison by 4 indicators

Electrical

The operation of this category of devices is powered by an electric motor, and a power connection is required to trim the plants. Among the advantages of electric brush cutters are:

• low cost, which makes the device available to a wide range of users;
• relatively small weight (up to 3 kg);
• absence of vibrations during operation.

Network hedge trimmers are easy to use, but the only drawback is the cord. Therefore, if you are deciding how to cut bushes with a brush cutter, you should take care of an extension cord.

On average, the power of such devices varies from 380 to 450 watts. The section can be up to 25 mm, they can be used to trim young shoots. However, the latter figure is 15 mm less than that of gasoline counterparts.

Despite the advantages, electrical appliances have disadvantages:

1. Constant demand for power supply and dependence on mains voltage.
2. The cord gets in the way during the cutting process.
3. There is a risk of cutting the cable if the device is handled carelessly.

Despite a number of limitations and difficulties in operating a hedge trimmer, this category is the most popular among gardeners. The factors determining the choice, in this case, are the affordable price, the ease of the device and, of course, the minimum operating cost. The device can also be mounted on a bar and then used to trim hedges without using stairs.

On the topic: How to choose a construction vacuum cleaner: 4 characteristics that should not be ignored

Gasoline

The principle of operation and the device of the drive of this group of devices are very similar to those of chainsaws or brushcutters. The only exception is the segment in which the cutting elements are mounted. These are segments of knives that slide over the structure.

Gasoline-powered devices are rightfully considered the most powerful among mechanized equipment. For example, some models can easily cut branches up to 40 mm in diameter.

The tool can be used to maintain a garden and restore an abandoned suburban area. High motor power (550-700 W) allows cutting not only young shoots, but also perennial branches. In this case, the entire load is distributed to the cutting elements, and therefore they can become dull and deformed.

If you still do not know how to use a brush cutter and which device option to choose, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the advantages and disadvantages of gasoline devices.

Gasoline-powered brushcutters are equipped with two-stroke engines. Therefore, it may be difficult to start up the device due to low temperatures in early spring or late autumn. The price of the device and the cost of pruning plants are much higher than in options with electrical appliances.

Fascinating article: How to choose a set of tools for the home: 4 basic items

Rechargeable

This is a category of battery- powered wireless electrical devices . In this case, the weight of the hedge trimmer increases, which creates some difficulties in operation. Among the advantages:

• absolute absence of noise during operation,
• the ability to not depend on the power supply;
• affordable cost of using the device.

The battery charge allows you to work with the brush cutter for half an hour or more (depending on the model of the device). In this case, the power of the device depends on the capacity of the battery. A 35 V battery may well give a head start to gasoline devices. Moreover, both categories of devices work practically at the same level.

Among the disadvantages of such devices are the high cost (8-9 thousand hryvnia) and the need to purchase a spare battery. The fact is that an hour’s battery life is not always enough for a complete pruning of bushes.

Safety engineering

To work with the hedge trimmer was comfortable, in the process of forming a hedge, you should adhere to a number of rules:

1. Make sure you can stand on your feet while using the appliance. If the plant is too tall, a stable support should be found. A stool or stepladder on the ground is not a good idea.
2. Before starting the device, make sure that it is in good working order and is ready for work: there is no corrosion on the cutting elements, all removable elements are securely screwed on, and the filters responsible for the movement of air flows are cleaned.
3. It is not recommended to overload during operation, otherwise the device will fail prematurely.
4. If you want to achieve a beautiful result when pruning plants, you should move forward moderately. For example, to shorten the branches, you need to use the movement of the pendulum, starting from the lower leaves to the upper ones.
5. In the process, try not to touch the ground with cutting elements, otherwise the blades may jam.
6. When trimming bushes, the motor should be turned towards you only, and the knives should be in the direction of the plant. This will protect against injury in the event of strong vibrations or solid objects falling into the device. If this happens, you should carefully turn off the device, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the blades.
7. When working with electrical devices, an extension cord with a grounding terminal must be used. To avoid accidentally cutting the cord, simply throw it over your shoulder or fold it over the back of the blade.

Please Note: The Best Electric Shavers – Top 5 Models for Men

Cutting bushes with a brush cutter: rules for pruning plants

Compliance with safety precautions and choosing a powerful hedgecutter is only 50% on the way to ideal plants on the site. In order for the appearance of the site to fascinate with wonderful forms, and pruning is enjoyable, you should familiarize yourself with the rules for caring for specific plants, as well as learn the key features.

When forming the top of a hedge from shrubs, it is better to move the blades horizontally, and when processing the side surfaces – vertically and always from the ground to the top.

It is best to use a garden shears or a gasoline hedge trimmer to trim internal branches and twigs.
The best time to trim your plants is late evening or early morning, because direct sunlight can burn the ends of freshly cut branches.

If you need to cut the branches of fruit plants, it is better to choose a high power electric model, but for working with thick trunks, it is better to use a saw .

The exit algorithm is simple. First you need to shorten the trunk of the plant. For a hedge, this is 1.4-1.6 m, and in the case of young fruit trees – up to 2 m. The next step is to remove the shoots that grow towards the inside of the crown. The fact is that these branches are the cause of the multiplication of diseases and bacteria. The correct plant shape is a bowl with a void inside. Then you need to cut off the branches of the skeleton. The optimal length for this category of shoots is 1.7 m for shrubs and about 2.3 m for trees. The final stage is stopping the cross shoots that grow from the root of the plant.

It is necessary to prune plants at a clearly allotted time. Otherwise, the procedure may lead to the death of plants. Form should be created gradually. You should also pay attention to the type of plant. Deciduous plantings should be pruned regularly, while conifers should not be touched later than the 20th of August, as new branches will not have time to stiffen before the arrival of winter.

Summing up, it is worth noting that pruning plants will be effective only if the type of device is correctly selected and the rules of work are followed. There is no other way to beautiful plants on the site.