Regular trimming is important to maintain the health of your hedges. Trimming gets rid of dead ends, reduces the risk of disease and pest infestation and keeps your yard looking neat and appealing. For you to keep up with your hedge's trimming needs, you need to invest in a residential hedge trimmer. However, not all tools on the market will do. Below are some key features you should look for before making a purchase.
1. Long Trimming Blades
Hedge trimmers have varying blade sizes. The ideal blade size primarily depends on the type of hedge you have. If your fence is still young or small, you can go for a short trimming blade. However, this isn't advisable as the hedge is bound to grow and become bushy at some point. In this case, a small blade won't be able to trim the overgrowth properly. Thus, go for a trimmer with a long blade as it is usable on both small and large hedges.
2. Widely Spaced Teeth
Hedge trimmers with closely spaced teeth can make the trimming task difficult, especially if you're dealing with mature hedges. You have to cut small stems only a few at a time as the trimmer's teeth can't accommodate a bigger diameter. Ease your work by buying a trimmer with widely spaced teeth. The large space between the teeth allows the tool to cut through large stems on mature hedges easily.
3. Sharp Blades
All trimmers come with sharp blades, but they are not sharpened the same way. If the tool isn't cut with precision, it will leave a rough finish or force you to go over the hedge several times to achieve a clean cut. However, trimmers that are laser-sharpened or diamond-ground have incredibly sharp blades that provide a precise cut. Therefore, only go for a tool that has been laser-cut or diamond-ground as its blade will deliver a high-quality finish.
4. Safety Features
Finally, don't forget about safety features. Hedge trimmers are sharp electrical tools, and they can cause a lot of harm if they're mishandled. Therefore, buy one that comes with safety features such as the following:
- Safety switches to prevent accidental start-up of the equipment
- Blade covers for covering the blades during storage or transportation
- Cord retainer for corded models that prevents the cord from coming unplugged during use
- Tip protector to prevent damage resulting from accidental scrapes on concrete walls or masonry
Before using your new hedge trimmer, check the manufacturer's manual for instructions on how to use the various safety features.
A hedge trimmer is a valuable tool that can keep your hedge neat, healthy and pest-free. Have these things in mind when shopping for the best one for residential use.
To learn more, contact a hedge trimmer supplier.
