Pruning Utensils

[SaturnsPattern]

Hey so, after consulting various sources apparently the best pruning device for my ficus would be something "dull". So how dull are we talking about here? Could I use an everyday pair of household scissors or would they still be considered too sharp?

Thanks =)

[Gnome]

SaturnsPattern,

Hey so, after consulting various sources apparently the best pruning device for my ficus would be something "dull".

I'd be interested to learn the reasoning behind this strategy. I always use sharp tools to prune, sometimes even going back with a razor or utility knife to ensure a clean, smooth cut. If you are talking about maintenance pruning of young shoots scissors should do fine. For structural pruning of thicker branches I use specialized bonsai pruners called 'concave cutters' For ficus I prefer to leave a stub and clean it up later, so you could use conventional bypass pruners and then revisit the cut later.

Norm

[SaturnsPattern]

Thanks Gnome

Apparently using too sharp of a pruner causes more 'bleeding' than a duller utensil. Say, could you check the picture of my ficus in the picture section? Does it actually need pruning as of now?

[kdodds]

I'm still not convinced of the logic of this. Crush wounds that can occur when actually pinching out new growth "bleed" just the same as cuts made with sharp bonsai shears. Whomever you heard this from may have learned it this way or may be mistaken in their observations. When you make a cut on a Ficus, it will "bleed" a milky white sap that, if left alone, will simply stop on its own virtually immediately.