Long Reach Pruner

Question from John:
Where did you get the long pole you used in one of your videos to reach under your plants.  It was a long pole with a handle and a gripping part at the end.  I have MD and it would be a great help to me

Answer from Pat:
Many years ago I purchased a tool called a “long reach Japanese fruit picker” from a well known garden tool company that is now out of business. Today you can purchase several types of this tool and they are now called “Long Reach Pruners.” I suggest you Google “long reach pruner” and choose from the various types that come up. Through the years I have found this tool to be one of the most indispensable of all my garden tools. I use it for pruning climbing roses, for pruning wisteria in summer, or even for reaching into flower beds and deadheading flowers, or picking up dead blossoms as you saw me do in the video. The kind I use has a “grab and hold” feature.

The kind I used on the video is the old type, it’s light weight, and these days unfortunately more difficult to find. Here is a link to a more commonly found type which is a telescoping long-reach pruner. It reaches further, but it is also heavier. I even have one that reaches 12 feet and is very useful for clipping off the twiners from wisteria growing on a tall pergola, but I find it a bit heavy for me to use.