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What snips do you use for dead-heading?

GravelEaterGravelEater Posts: 124
in Tools and techniques
Seeing how all these beautiful seasonal plants need to have their fading flowering stems snipped off to prevent seed production and thus increase flowering, what snips are people using for this task?

We've Spear and Jackson secateurs which are just hard work to get in with and are bulky.
I tried some kitchen scissors, which were better but still bulky.
Tried small craft scissors, better again for size but not the cleanest cuts.
Sometimes, simply snapping the flower stems off is easy enough.

I'm using an old Wilkinson Sword/Fiskars cotton snipper from a sewing set.  It works nicely but is tough to clean any residues off of. 

I am wondering if the Darlac DP125 is a better option, or the Tildenet mini snips.  I see a lot of really cheap thin metal bent into shape with blades riveted in place - those I don't like the look of.

This is probably trivial to the seasoned gardener.  I haven't been at this long and just want the most efficient way to do this task.

I am using isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol, ACS grade 99.9%) and some kitchen towel to clean the blades.

Thanks for your input.
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Posts

  • chickychicky Posts: 10,410
    loc love my Niwaki snips - just be careful not to lose the spring (although they replaced me me with no quibble)
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I mostly use my fingers.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • EmptyheadtimeEmptyheadtime Posts: 366
    edited June 2023
    I was fortunate enough to be gifted a pair of felco 322 snips for my birthday. I am very happy with them. They also do a 321 version with a shorter blade. They are much better than the cheap plastic ones they replaced and I will cherish them for ever.
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    ARS fruit snips - around £10 from Amazon - sharpen really easily - long pointed blades for precision snipping - light - ideal for smaller hands - cuts through everything up to pencil thickness - used by all the team at Peter Beale rose nurseries. Can't remember when I last used 'regular' secateurs. I've had mine for about 10 years now - still as good as new.

    Have bought loads as Christmas presents for sceptical family members & friends - none of whom now use anything else for most of their dead heading and general pruning. 

    Excellent bit of kit.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    I have Niwaki snips in the shed and Darlac snips in the greenhouse. By a whisker I prefer the Darlac.
    Rutland, England
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    I use a brand of snips probably not available in the UK (Bellota) but they are lightweight with slim, long pointed blades, similar to the ARS ones Topbird mentions. I only ever use secateurs for annual winter pruning of roses. For dead-heading and summer pruning of everything, it’s the snips every time 😊 
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Topbird said:
    ARS fruit snips - around £10 from Amazon - sharpen really easily - long pointed blades for precision snipping - light - ideal for smaller hands - cuts through everything up to pencil thickness - used by all the team at Peter Beale rose nurseries. Can't remember when I last used 'regular' secateurs. I've had mine for about 10 years now - still as good as new.

    Have bought loads as Christmas presents for sceptical family members & friends - none of whom now use anything else for most of their dead heading and general pruning. 

    Excellent bit of kit.
    I use these too for exactly the same reasons.
    Cheap, last well and work a treat!

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I've got some Darlac snips but often I just use the secateurs that I have to hand. Mine are smaller ones to suit my hand size so perhaps easier for getting into things.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • CrankyYankeeCrankyYankee Posts: 504
    B3 said:
    I mostly use my fingers.

    Same here; I always have them on me.
    New England, USA
    Metacomet soil with hints of Woodbridge and Pillsbury
  • MarranMarran Posts: 195
    At work we use Barnel clematis pruning scissors and clean them with wire wool and meths. Sharp and comfortable to use all day!
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