The Main thing about pruners,(clippers), is to buy a pair that fits your hand, a pair that feels good from the start in the store. Get the wrong size and after a while your hand will start to cramp. The next thing is to take care of them properly. Clean and oil before you put them away at the end of the day. I have found that name brands really do not mean that much, it is the way you maintain them. As for the difference between pruners and clippers, sometimes but not always the pruners are a little more heavy--rugged because they are expected to be cutting limbs , etc. that are bigger.

When buying any brand, it's best to fit them to your hand for comfort. Some people have very small, delicate hands while others could do combat with a bear. If the grip isn't comfortable, you will never use those shears, no matter how much or how little you paid for them. This is extremely true for anyone suffering carpal tunnel or repetitive motion syndrome. I have a wrist brace for our main pruning season. It slows me down a little but, as a bookkeeper, my wrists and hands are my means to a living. I use several pairs, ranging from Corona to Fiskars, plus a pair of Sabotens. My favorite by far are my Corona BP3220, bypass pruners with longer handles. A man with Parkinson's was using them to prune and he was able to make cuts without wasting a lot of effort. When pruning, I go through with the loppers first, then the 3220's, finishing up with the smaller shears. Once pruning is finished, I haul them all in, dip them in 10% bleach, take the shears apart and clean them with fine-grade steel wool or kitchen cleaner. You can brighten the finish again with very, very fine-grade sandpaper, then sharpen the cutting edge of the blade either with a rotary sharpening attachment or a whet stone. One of the local rose societies offers blade sharpening as a little money-maker. Finish up by applying a drop of sewing machine oil, or 3-in-1, to the screw and work the grip 'til it's comfortable again. Obviously, if there's more than one screw to contend with, they won't see much action, lol.

I use a small inexpensive fine stone. I don't remember what model they were, but they were under $20 from Hida. I wash the pruners with a soap with pumice in it (can I say Lava brand?) and a plastic or teflon scrubber pad until all residue is removed. If it is really nasty pine pitch, I use WD 40 to remove it, then wash it all off with the bar soap ( I use baby-wipes on saw blades). After it is rinsed really well, I take my time with the "soaking wet" stone to remove any burs, then restore the bevel opposite the hook blade. I run fine emery (spelling?) cloth or steel wool over the hook blade and inside of the cutting blade (steel wool doesn't travel well and doesn't like water. When I am happy, I rinse it all again, dry very well, and spray with camelia oil. If you let it sit out over night, the camelia oil seems to mostly disappear into the metal. On domestic pruners line Felco's, I also use lithium grease in the pivot joint pocket after too many soapings. On both styles, just don't wait too long to correct damage, and don't be in a hurry when correcting. Just like a cut tree branch, you can't put metal back! Shears are usually easier, but lots more surface to clean and sharpen. The soaping and camelia oil removes most of the sap. Come to think of it, I wipe the camelia oil off the shear blades and this helps remove residue. Shears don't usually need major sharpening if you don't use them where you should be using another tool. Careful use of a sharpening steel, while paying close attention to the bevel angle will keep them cutting clean. If you have to hit them harder, use a leather or the like to remove burs on the bypass side before you close them to test! I spray the handles with camelia oil if I can let them sit for a month. Every once in a while, clean the heck out of your tools and treat them to a good oiling. If they have a bolt pivot, reomve it and clean really good on all surfaces. If the rivet pivot is weak and can't be tightened anymore, consider replacing it with a bolt, spring washer, and nut. It's kind of like washing your car - it just seems to run better : ) After putting this all in writing, I am feeling guilty about my neglected tools!

Hi and welcome. Do you know what kind your plants are? I think our resident North Carolinian is Mona. She is a regular poster and will be able to give great advice tailored to your locale. Fertilizers can be made as complex or simple as you want it. As you get more comfortable with your new Plumerias you can always experiment with other fertilizers but for right now I would look for a more forgiving balanced fertilizer such as Osmacote 14-14-14 or use what you have and adjust longer the application schedule AND cut the dosage down by at least half to prevent salt build up in your soil. Leaves turning brown from the bottom of the plant are easily surmised as they are done and the plant no longer has use for them. If it continues past the bottom most leaves then it could be other issues such as too much or too little water. The best thing is be consistent and observe then adjust until you come up with your sweetspot. Good luck.