I know it’s still only February but I have found the icy, East wind brutal. It is a lazy wind – it goes through you rather than around you. And despite people saying ‘It is too cold to snow’, it has of course been too dry to snow.

The cold spell will have been good for the garden though, hopefully reducing pests and diseases, like the old fashioned days. And it has meant that I have got a bit of work in the cottage done – it is said that is why God gives us bad weather – so that gardener’s can get their housework done.

Once the soil temperatures reach around 8 degrees centigrade consistently for about 2 weeks, along with increased sunlight to stimulate photosynthesis, then you’ll notice the grass will start to grow. If the soil is too cold, water can't move through the grass plant easily enough to produce growth, and reduced daylight during the winter also slows photosynthesis, giving the grass and the gardeners a rest.

So, it’s a good idea to service your lawn mower now and get ready for the mowing season.

Make sure all garden tools are ‘ready for action’ too. Repair or replace any broken tools – and remember Tools for Self Reliance in Crickhowell have the best recycled gardening tools ever.

I have been using Stihl’s ASA 20 cordless secateurs (now I know all secateurs are cordless but these are battery operated) for cutting back shrubs, and in particular a large area of willow withies this winter and I have to say, they are absolutely brilliant. You have to concentrate, and keep your ‘other hand’ well out the way. I wouldn’t use them for clearing herbaceous growth from beds as I have nipped my fingers with my regular secateurs once or twice. You wouldn’t get away with that with the Stihl cordless pruners, but they have proved invaluable for larger pruning jobs and I have been completely astounded by what they will cut effortlessly, slicing through substantial branches.

My wrist and fingers have benefitted hugely too. Now erring on the side of arthritis, a full day with secateurs makes them (and me) very grumpy but the Stihl pruners negated all of that. You don’t have to constantly squeeze the ‘trigger’ either – for maximum cutting control and very precise cuts, the movement of the blade follows the movement of the finger on the control lever during cutting. The blade only closes as far as the control lever is pressed and opens again immediately when the lever is released, so there is no duress on gardener’s joints and tendons.

I do tend to be a bit old fashioned when it comes to my gardening tools but I must admit I am thrilled with the battery pruners. Gone are the days when I would battle through hard work heroically, especially to keep up with the lads, now I’m all for anything that makes work easier. And these certainly do. Another glowing testament for these ‘perfect pruners’ is that the lads in work ‘pinched them’ to use whenever they could!

Stihl also do a small lightweight battery operated saw, which is described as a ‘cordless garden pruner’ (GTA 26) – and which I use when the boys pinch my pruners. Despite having my proper chainsaw licence, I’m not too confident using chainsaws these days and this little battery operated saw is a perfect substitute for dealing with smaller branches and brash.

Both tools are extremely competent – and ‘a cut above’ - and have made light work of winter pruning and clearing work.