We have some old tall fruit trees (Damson and an old apple)
We really struggle to access all the fruit, so want to buy a picker. Have any of you got experience of any of these two systems.
http://www.darlac.com/gallery4.htm
or
http://www.wolf-garten.co.uk/index.php?id=986&no_cache=1
The longest Wolf telescopic pole is 400cm and ??? weight whereas the Darlac is 5meters and 1.2kg in weight
There are deals that mean I can buy longest poles in each range with picker for roughly the same price. I was wondering re quality?
I have the Wolf set of mixed length handles and tool heads for weedindg, raking, hoeing, mini forks etc and so on as well as trowels, lawn edger, pruning saw and loppers.
i find them to be excellent and hard wearing.
I've also got, but have never used, a pruning head for use with a long handle for going up trees. So far I've managed with a step ladder and the pruning saw and loppers but I will need it one day as the trees get taller.
Quote from: Obbelix on September 05, 2011, 09:58:10
I have the Wolf set of mixed length handles and tool heads for weedindg, raking, hoeing, mini forks etc and so on as well as trowels, lawn edger, pruning saw and loppers.
i find them to be excellent and hard wearing.
I've also got, but have never used, a pruning head for use with a long handle for going up trees. So far I've managed with a step ladder and the pruning saw and loppers but I will need it one day as the trees get taller.
Thanks Obbelix, I think I will go with the Wolf. They have a 10 year guarantee. The Darlac pole s slightly longer but I like having a product with a decent warranty.
How good are the extendable loppers? I look at the string you pull, and I can't help thinking it'll stretch and soak up all the power before it reaches the branch. You shouldn't normally have to prune high up; my Cambridge Gage is now about fifteen feet high, and all I do is trim low hanging branches, and the odd crossing branch. I can get them from ground level.
Only just saw this, don't know if you have purchased yet?
As a shortie, I possess both tools in the Wolf version. The Wolf picker is very good, especially for apples in our tall, ancient Bramley. I was using it for Damsons only a few days ago, a bit fiddly for such small fruit, but I managed to get several in the basket before bringing it back to ground level. Also it successfully knocked a lot down which I picked up :)
The extendable lopper/pruning saw, to answer Robert, I find surprisingly powerful. It is annoyingly awkward to position the tool exactly how you want it, but once the string pulls it makes a clean, powerful cut.
I don't use either often, but our garden is large with tall shrubs/trees, and I find both very useful. I don't much like working from a stepladder.
I purchased for hubby as trying to stop him going on ladders :) The Wolf seem to be very robust (from online reviews) :)
I've got a lot of the WOlf tools (though none of the ones you mention) and find them to be as excellent as everyone else does, my parents have owned a few for many years and they've held up well....
chrisc
I have a long reach lopper that someone gave me years ago. It is terrific and can chop through inch and a half stems easily. Mine is light weight ally so easy to hold and reach with. By turning it and pushing it through the branches and then opening and pulling back onto the branch I want to trim it's easy to maneuver into place. Mine has a thick metal wire to operate it rather than a string.
I've no idea what make it is as it was 2nd hand but I'll have a look when I'm in the garage next to see if it has a name / label.
PS The Wolf Soil Miller is an excellent tool despite its price - great for preparing seed beds and refreshing soil as it hoes.
We started getting the wolf tools about 3yrs ago,we love them,our last buy was the soil miller at the Hampton court show,25%off, we were speaking to the man on the stand about the wolf tools,and he said Wilkinson Sword have bought them over, and now you can buy the clip on heads of Sword they all mix and match! so he said ,anyone ever heard this ?If you have a lottie wolf user on you're site, ask to try out the tools that's how we bought the soil miller,they,are expensive but you get 10 yrs guarantee and you only get what you pay for.