Columnist reaches new heights
Tripod or orchard ladders enable gardeners to comfortably prune
I first fell in love with Japanese tripod ladders when I was in Tokyo in 2014 and saw them being used everywhere in parks and gardens.
I remember walking into the 17th-century Hamarikyu Gardens, originally planted by shogun Tokugawa in the downtown Chou district, and seeing gardeners perched on the top of their pyramidal ladders as they quietly and patiently pruned pine trees.
The gardeners looked so calm and confident and relaxed. I stood for a long time and watched them quietly clipping and snipping with not the slightest show of haste or frenzy.
Why I associate this display of professionalism so much with the style, shape and elegance of the ladder is a mystery. But I do. It is a look that seems part and parcel of quality garden maintenance.
Ever since that moment, I have lusted after a Japanese-style tripod-pruning ladder, more often called an orchard ladder here.
A few weeks ago, I took the plunge and bought one — a beautiful, lightweight 10-foot Allright aluminum tripod ladder.
Why I need this type of ladder more than ever is not so much to do with my admiration of its seductive shape and marvellous functionality, nor my memory of the classy gardeners I saw in Japan, but the fact that my garden desperately needs a haircut. Over the years, shrubs have grown so vigorously that they need a substantial trim. And the only way for me to get up into overgrown shrubs and roses, vines and trees is with a ladder that allows me to prop it up securely right in the border.
A tripod ladder has an arching third leg that can be poked through the mess of twigs and foliage and pressed firmly into the ground to perfectly prop up the ladder at a comfortable angle and distance for pruning.
These ladders come in a range of sizes from eight to 16 feet. The eight-foot version struck me as too short, the 12-, 14- and 16-foot ladders felt too big, probably only suitable for professional landscapers. The 10-foot version felt perfect for me and my garden.
In terms of which make to choose, I did consider the best Japanese ladders — ones made by Hasegawa — but in the end decided to go with a Canadianmade product. The Allright Ladder Company of Vancouver is the oldest ladder and scaffold company in the country. It has been making quality ladders since 1921.
My ladder is technically a 390 Series aluminum with C-channel side rails, recommended for orchardists and landscapers. Since I was unable to get the ladder home in my vehicle, I asked my son, Peter, to come with his truck (he is a builder) and transport it for me. All the way to the store and all the way back, Peter lectured me about safety. He warned me about the dangers of falling off a ladder, even a short distance off the ground. He lectured me about wearing the right boots, hat and gloves and how I should never to sit on the top of the ladder the way I had seen gardeners in Japan doing.
“That would not be good,” he said. “You cannot even think of doing that.”
“I won’t,” I promised. But after all the lectures, I said, “Do you want me to take it back?”
“No, just be very, very careful,” said Peter.
I decided to call Allright and ask them for their best safety advice about using an orchard ladder.
I am listing their tips as advice for me as much as for any readers thinking of buying one of these ladders (see sidebar, right).
Sprains and strains are the most common types of ladder injuries, caused by over-reaching, lifting and carrying. Fractures, concussions and dislocations are the next common injury, usually caused by an unstable ladder, over-extension of the ladder’s tripod pole, slipping or being struck by a falling ladder.
Using ladders in bad weather, such as high winds, or too close to electrical lines are two other definite no-nos.
For my first time on the ladder, I decided to prune some over- grown honeysuckle and a sprawling old-garden rose.
By standing on a rung about five feet off the ground I was easily able to reach eight to 10 feet comfortably. The ladder also felt much more stable and secure than an ordinary step-ladder. Its Eiffel-Tower shape means as you go up, the base becomes more stable.
However, I quickly realized that when you pull cut material away, you can lose your balance, so it is important to work slowly and keep yourself positioned facing forward in the centre of the ladder and not to do any yanking or pulling movements.
Another thing I noticed is how easy it is to forget that you are five or six feet off the ground. (My wife says this is just me). Once you start clipping and dropping pruned material down, it is easy to get into a rhythm and forget you are up off the ground and standing on a ladder.
I guess, as with most things, there is a learning curve involved. I think it’s best to start with a very simple project, so you can get the feel of using the ladder properly.
I have found that setting up is the most important step. I take a lot of time making sure the legs are well-positioned, the ladder is at the right angle and the tripod is firmly and correctly placed.
Since my initial first steps, I have pruned more than half of my garden, getting comfortably into lilacs and plum trees, smoke bush and magnolias.
My ladder was indispensable for getting close into a maackia tree in order to remove a few lower branches. I will be doing more routine pruning over the next month. Wish me continued success.