You need the right tools to care for your vertical garden, and the best garden scissors will help you trim and harvest many tender-stemmed plants. If you want to remove ripe vegetables and fruits from your plants without damaging them, you’ll need a clean, sharp blade. For gathering herbs to add to your recipes, a good set of garden scissors will help you harvest the leaves without putting the plant into shock.
Several gardening tools cut and remove both live and dead plant matter, and it’s easy to confuse them. Technically, many shears and pruning tools fit the description of “scissors,” since they comprise two sharpened blades that cut together from a single pivot point. However, they often fail to do the jobs that require scissors. Many garden shears and pruners are simply too heavy-duty to do the light work. For that, you need the best garden scissor you can afford.
When To Use Garden Scissors
With vertical gardening, you’ll find you need to secure plants and vines to their supports on a regular basis. New growth tends to follow the sunshine, which means you’ll often find yourself re-tying branches and vines to their trellis to keep them properly trained.
Vertical gardening also means you’ll need to make sure that plants on higher levels don’t block the sun from those below. In this case, you’ll need scissors to trim and prune soft stems and leaves. For tender plants, pruning shears can crush the stems, rather than cutting them cleanly. This can cause shock in the plant, and the damaged tissue becomes susceptible to disease. Like people and animals, plants can “heal” a sharp cut and recover. But crushing the stem with pruning shears is a much more serious injury.
The best garden scissors will be flexible enough to help you keep smaller plants trimmed, cut twine for tying them up, remove spent blooms (deadheading), and help you harvest ripe fruits and vegetables. Twisting and pulling on ripe fruit can also cause more damage to your vegetable plant. A sharp pair of scissors removes them without injury.
Buying The Best Garden Scissors
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So, you’ve looked at your gardening tool kit and found that your scissors have either disappeared or rusted. One downfall of garden scissors is that they’re easy to lose. Either way, you need a new pair, perhaps two, in order to care for your vertical garden.
You’ll want to look for several different qualities in your new tools. Most people have a budget when purchasing new garden implements, and that will be a factor in your choices. It may seem expensive to buy both the best garden scissors and the best pruning shears, but having the right tool for each job is half the battle.
Whenever possible, make sure the tool is a good fit in your hands. If you strain to use your scissors, they may not be the right size for your hands. Consider using them for an hour or two harvesting tomatoes; if you struggle to close and open them comfortably, you’ll suffer cramps and fatigue using them frequently.
Check the hinge in your scissors. The blades should be solidly connected. Upgrades can include non-stick coatings and soft grip coatings on the handles to absorb shock.
Stainless steel construction will help prevent rusting, although no material will preclude the need to care for your tools. Hot-drop-forged steel means that the manufacturer has forged the scissor blade from one continuous piece, and these are the best you can buy. They’re durable and will last you for decades.
How We Determined The Best Garden Scissors
As dedicated and enthusiastic gardeners, we’ve tried a number of brands and models for everything from cutting back thick stems on tomatoes to scoring seeds to quick-start germination. Along with our experience, we’ve expanded our search for the best garden scissors to brands previously unknown to us. After examining company information and reputations, we also referenced other gardening professionals for their recommendations. Last of all, we examined customer reviews, which we feel provides an honest assessment of product quality without bias.
Product Comparison Table
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8 Of The Best Garden Scissors On The Market
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Whether you’re a long-time veteran or completely new to gardening, we’ve found some of the best garden scissors currently on the market that feature excellent value for their cost. They boast good reputations and high ratings from users.
Chikamasa B-500SF Stainless Steel Scissors
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These lightweight, straight-bladed shears made in Japan make the best garden scissors for tight spaces, like a tightly packed vertical pallet garden. Made of stainless steel with ABS plastic handles, they feature a fluorine coating to resist resin and sap from sticking to the blades. This makes them easy to clean and keep sharp. They use an L-shaped, 90-degree cutting design that makes them easy to use in smaller spaces. Also handy is the built-in measuring tape in centimeters printed on the handle to help you keep your cuts consistent.
These garden favorites received a 4.6 out of 5 stars from Amazon buyers, many of whom lauded the comfort of the handle and the coating on the blades. You can find these Chikamasa horticultural scissors online, priced between $ and $$.
Specifications
- Total length: 6.1 inches
- Blade length: 1.37 inches
- Blade construction: stainless steel with fluorine coating
- Handle construction: ABS plastic
The Relaxed Gardener Garden Pruner Set
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This pair of trimmers comes in handy in any garden for trimming plants, deadheading flowers, or cutting open seed packets. You’ll receive both curved blade and straight blade scissors, both coated with titanium to help resist rust and corrosion. The spring mechanism promises ease of use without hand fatigue, which makes it suitable for those with arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome. The handles are rubber coated for comfort and lockable for safety.
Amazon buyers rated the Relaxed Gardener set 4.4 out of 5 stars, with most of them lauding the scissors for their sharpness. Response to the spring mechanism was mixed, with some customers saying it made them easier on their hands, and others saying they actually made them harder to use. Online prices range from $ to $, depending on where you purchase them.
Specifications
- Total length: 6.5 inches
- Blade length: 2 inches
- Blade construction: stainless steel with titanium coating
- Handle construction: rubber coated
Fiskars 96386935J Comfort Grip Floral Snips
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Fiskars enjoys a reputation for being the best of the best scissors manufacturers. They have designed these loop-handled snips for ease of control and reduced hand fatigue. They’ve added a soft grip for comfort and to reduce slipping, too. The 96386935J feature precision sized blades for the ultimate in control – perfect for removing spent flowers and ailing leaves. Best of all, they’re not actually handed, which means lefties can use them in comfort. These also come with a blade cover to protect the blade and to protect the owner from nicks when picking them up.
Amazon buyers gave these Fiskars 4.4 out of 5 stars, with many stating they were best for those with larger hands. Those with smaller hands were less impressed with the unique handle shape. You can find them online, ranging from $ to $.
Specifications
- Total length: 7 inches
- Blade length: 3.25 inches
- Blade construction: stainless steel
- Handle construction: plastic
Vivosun 6.5-Inch Pruning Shears
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These spring-loaded garden snips are one of the best garden scissors for those with dexterity problems or hand pain. The comfort grips accommodate those with arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome, while the spring mechanism provides extra help when using them. They also lock to protect the blades and for extra safety in storage. They’re also ambidextrous so that you can use them both left- and right-handed. Their bright orange color helps you find them amongst the greenery, and the narrow tips help you clip in tight places.
Vivosun mainly specializes in hydroponic garden supplies, but Amazon buyers gave the Vivosun gardening scissors 4.4 out of 5 stars. Like the Relaxed Gardener set above, consumers seemed split on spring mechanisms in even the best garden scissors. Although most customers lauded the blade sharpness and quality, one weak point appears to be the plastic handles. You can find them online listed from $to $$.
Specifications
- Total length: 6.7 inches
- Blade length: 2 inches
- Blade construction: Stainless steel
- Handle construction: plastic
Barebones Living small garden scissors
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Barebones Living offers a number of outdoor products that combine utility and elegant design, with a focus on the conscious use of materials. They design products beautifully, and the company supports many worldwide social and economic efforts. Their gardening tools feature extra wide wood handles and precision cutting blades. With an ambidextrous grip, these rust-resistant snips are some of the most attractive on this list of the best garden scissors.
Amazon purchasers rated the Barebones Living scissors 4.6 out of 5.0 stars. Like other loop-handled scissors, those with larger hands seem to appreciate them more. Many customers loved the way the scissors looked, but those with small hands found them hard to use. You can purchase them online for $ to $$, depending on the retailer.
Specifications
- Total length: 7.25 inches
- Blade length: 2 inches
- Blade construction: heat-treated stainless steel
- Handle construction: bamboo or walnut wood.
Black and Decker BD1112 classic stainless steel garden shears
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Black and Decker is known for power tools in the yard and for the kitchen. These trusty and reliable garden shears feature serrated blades of hardened stainless steel for those bigger jobs around the garden. The cutting angle also provides extra leverage for thicker stems and branches. The hardened steel blades are non-stick, too, which makes them easier to clean.
Amazon buyers gave the BD1112 shears 4.0 out of 5.0 stars, with many saying that the 2.5-inch handle grips were perfect for those with smaller hands. You can find these online priced from $ to $$.
Specifications
- Total length: 9 inches
- Blade length: 4 inches
- Blade construction: hardened stainless steel
- Handle construction: molded plastic
Corona FS-4350 Thinning Shears
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Corona Tools launched in 1928 with their new design for orange shears. They manufacture some of the best garden scissors, shears, and pruners in the industry. These cushioned-handled shears feature a thin and precise set of narrow blades, with dropped-forge steel alloy construction for years of use. With an ambidextrous grip, these straight blades offer ease of use in tight spaces.
Amazon customers gave the Corona shears 5 out of 5.0 stars, which is a nearly perfect rating. These are professional grade scissors, and even casual users can see their quality construction. Users say they’re particularly useful for smaller hands. You’ll find them from online retailers and hardware stores priced from $17 to $28.
Specifications
- Total length: 7.75 inches
- Blade length:2.5 inches
- Blade construction: steel alloy
- Handle construction: cushioned steel
Tabor Tools K-7 Straight Pruning Shears
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Tabor Tools launched in 1982 as a business venture for Kibbutz Beit Rimon, a religious community in Israel. Since that time, they’ve developed a wide range of agricultural tools, and have become world-renowned for their superior drop-forged steel tools. These straight pruning shears are some of the best gardening scissors you can find for the price. With a nearly 8-inch length, you’ll be able to reach into the dense growth for precision cutting and trimming. The spring-loaded blade mechanism opens automatically after each cut.
Amazon buyers gave the Tabor Tools K-7 4.7 out of 5.0 stars. Many cited their positive reviews on the fact that the design provided better accuracy when trimming. You can find them from online retailers listed from $ to $$.
Specifications
- Total length: 7.87 inches
- Blade length: 2.5 inches
- Blade construction: drop-forged carbon steel
- Handle construction; plastic coating over steel
Caring For Your Garden Tools
Now that you have the best garden scissors, it pays to take care of them properly. Your garden scissors may come with cleaning and storage recommendations from the manufacturer. So, take note of them. Different materials may require different maintenance routines.
However, here are a few tips that will help keep your scissors sharp and clean.
- If stored outdoors, stick them, blade down, into a bucket full of sand.
- Clean after every use with a hose and brush.
- Remove any sap with turpentine.
- Disinfect blades between plants with rubbing alcohol to prevent the spread of diseases.
- Clean wooden handled scissors with linseed oil to prevent cracking.
- Sharpen scissors by oiling with WD-40 and using a whetstone at the original blade bevel angle.
The Many Uses Of The Best Garden Scissors
From trimming the netting for your vertical garden to harvesting fruits, garden scissors are one of the handiest tools you can have on hand. While your budget may guide your choices, we’ve chosen models ranging from those with budget pricing to high-end models with a heftier price tag. None run over $30, so perhaps your budget may only limit you to one pair. You’ll find that regardless of which scissors you choose, they’ll become such a vital part of your garden toolkit that you’ll soon wonder how you managed without them.
Whichever you choose, make sure they fit comfortably in your hands. You shouldn’t feel fatigued or pain in your hands after using them. Loop handled scissors seem best for larger hands, and your results with spring-loaded mechanism may not reflect that of others. So, make sure that your retailer offers a return policy. The best garden scissors on the market are still no good if you can’t use them.
Last update on 2022-01-27 at 20:02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
