New pruning tools are a delight to use, especially if you've been struggling for years with a strained and blunted pair of secateurs. And if this is the case, you're in for a surprise when you visit the garden centre, because there must be more types of pruning tools on offer now than ever before.

In fact there are so many types on sale that it's difficult to know where to start. But it's easy if you think about your garden and the plants that you'll be pruning. How soft or hard are the stems? And what thickness will you be cutting through? Another consideration is your hand size and strength.

If you only intend to deadhead roses, you obviously won't need something capable of cutting through 25mm (1 inch) stems. But if you have a variety of pruning jobs from light trimming to heavy lopping, it's best to buy several tools, each designed for a particular task, instead of making do with one tool for everything. Such a tool will inevitably be too unwieldy for light tasks and probably won't be up to the heaviest work.

Ratchet designs suit small or weak hands

Your handspan and strength of grip are also important to consider, but there's no need to despair if you have small or weak hands - there are compact or ratchet versions that should suit you.

A ratchet mechanism makes pruning effortless so is ideal for long sessions. Just squeeze the handles until the blades close around the material, release the handles (the blades stay in place) and repeat until the sharp blade meets the anvil blade on the other side. Ratchet action tools are a great innovation and offer excellent value for money. View them via our online garden centre