Comparison · Plants
5/8 vs 3/4 Inch Pruning Shears
Match the opening to the stem you actually cut, not to the largest shear on the shelf.
Quick comparison: Choose about a 5/8 inch cut for flowers, herbs, and frequent light pruning. Choose about 3/4 inch when shrub stems regularly reach the smaller limit. If the cut needs two hands or a twist, use a lopper.
A green stem, or wood that does not fit
How to choose
- Mostly flowers and soft tips: the smaller bypass shear.
- Regular cuts on small woody stems that still fit the blade: the larger hand shear.
- Anything you cannot cut in one clean squeeze: stop. A crushed stem is worse than fetching the lopper.
What not to do
Do not buy the larger shear for herbs you cut every week, and do not use either shear on a branch that does not fit.
Related guides
Illustrations explain the choice. They are not product tests.