Pruning a cactus isn’t enjoyable. It is certainly a challenging job to pull off. Imagine dealing with the plant’s needles. You really have to be very cautious to save your hands from getting harmed. Here are some suggestions on how you can properly prune a cactus

Wear your protective gear. Begin with your hands. Put on a pair of sturdy gloves. You don’t want those to mess them up with those pesky cactus needles. You should also look after your feet by wearing a pair of durable leather shoes. See to it that those cactus needles don’t run through them. Obviously, wearing sandals is not recommended. It is really painful when one of the cactus spines gets into your foot. If you are trying to handle a cactus with a lot of fuzz and needles, consider putting on a facemask. Realize that fuzz and needles are airborne. They can readily cause or trigger skin problems. So, be wary.

Assemble your pruning tools in a single area. This can save your time and effort. You don’t need to move back and forth to get what you need. Begin using your pruners and loppers. Remove the extra segments or pads of the cactus. Generally, the segments or pads are going to come off quite easy. Eventually, you can shovel them straight into a garbage can.

Carefully handle the segments or pads that don’t come off readily. Aid yourself with a pair of tongs. Make sure that you get to hold the segments or pads with your pair of tongs. Never touch them using your bare hands. Guard both your wrists and hands while you are working on this. Since you are close to the cactus, you can easily get trapped. You can also use a knife. If you have to cut off some branches from agaves or ocotillo, bring out your saw.

Know when to prune a cactus. Timing matters. It is best to prune during the winter season. Why? During that time, a cactus is more dormant. Also, winter allows you to wear heavy clothing. The heavy clothing permits you to protect yourself from being harmed when pruning a cactus. Of course, you can always decide to prune a cactus anytime. Just observe the usual precautions so you don’t end up injuring yourself.

Be aware who is around when you are pruning a cactus. Never forget this rule, especially when you have kids in the area. You should also be watchful when you have some pets. You don’t want them to get hurt when they accidentally get tangled with the cactus.