Pole pruner magic
I love my pole pruners! They serve a beautiful function in-between my Felco snips and chainsaws. And when I use pole pruners, I don’t usually need a ladder.
A perfect situation
I raised some tree branches on two different properties recently because they were starting to interfere with delivery trucks. Normally, that would be a pleasant task except for two problems. I was alone without safety cones, and I had to work in the road which isn’t a very good place to put your ladder. It’s unsafe and slow as homeowners drive in and out of their complex to buy their iced cappuccinos.
You have two poles that can be attached together and one top attachment. You can also get a saw attachment but I find that, unless I’m close to the branch, I’m not strong enough to make a nice cut higher up in the tree. I think it’s best to use a ladder for bigger branches.
Clipping two poles into one worked really well on these Gleditsia triacanthos trees.
Easy does it. Just lift the top bar to pull up the nipple and then separate the poles.
Don’t forget to maintain the top attachment because it can get gummed up. I suggest asking at Foreshore about proper maintenance.
Pin oaks
My task on the commercial site below was to simply lift up the pin oaks (Quercus palustris) off the road so trucks could get by. Traffic is much heavier here during the week because it’s a commercial site. I find working with pole pruners fast without a ladder and it allows me to check for cars in between cuts.
Got a set?
Most companies equip their crews with pole pruners because they are extremely handy in certain situations. If you don’t have any, I suggest you come down to one of our two locations and speak to a sales person. They will set you up for success in the field.