Hasegawa Orchard Ladder

The Hasegawa orchard ladder is a Japanese tripod ladder made from aluminum, with two climbing legs and a single adjustable rear leg. That third leg lets it stand steady on slopes, soft ground and in planting beds where a regular stepladder rocks.

Why a tripod ladder for pruning

A stepladder needs a flat, firm surface, and most pruning happens on lawns, mulch beds and slopes. A tripod orchard ladder puts its single rear leg into the middle of a bed or uphill on a slope, and its wide-splayed front legs stay planted on soft ground. The narrow top lets you get into a hedge or close to a trunk where a stepladder's wide top would not fit.

Hasegawa is a Japanese maker known for these ladders, and their design is a favorite with gardeners, hedge crews and arborists who do a lot of small-tree pruning and fruit tree work. They are light enough to carry with one hand between trees.

They also shine on hedge work. A long hedge on a slope or along a planting bed is slow and risky to cut from a stepladder that keeps shifting. With a tripod ladder, the rear leg goes into the bed and the front legs stand on the lawn, and you can work along the hedge in steady steps.

Choosing a height

Pick a height that lets you reach the work while standing at or below the highest step the manufacturer allows, with your hips inside the rails. Do not stand on the top. If you regularly reach for cuts above your shoulders, choose a taller ladder or use a pole saw or pole pruner from the ground instead.

Taller tripod ladders are more stable at their base but heavier to carry and harder to fit between plants. Many hedge and orchard crews keep two sizes so they always have the right one for the job.

Height is usually measured to the top of the ladder, not to the highest standing step. Check the listing for both figures, and remember your comfortable reach is roughly your height plus a little above your head, not the length of a pole tool.

Setting it up safely

Spread the front legs fully and lock any spreaders. Set the rear leg so the ladder stands upright and the rear foot is on firm ground, not on a loose stone or root. On slopes, place the rear leg uphill when possible. Push down on the ladder before climbing to make sure all three feet have settled.

Keep three points of contact while climbing, face the ladder, and do not overreach. Move the ladder rather than leaning out. Check the load rating on the label and include the weight of your tools. Do not use an aluminum ladder near power lines. Keep at least the minimum approach distance required for your qualification under ANSI Z133 and OSHA, and treat every line as energized.

Inspection and care

Before each use, check for bent rails, cracked welds or rivets, loose steps and worn feet. Remove a damaged ladder from service and tag it. Rinse off sap and dirt, store it out of the weather when you can, and secure it well on the truck so it does not get bent under logs or gear. Pair it with good landscaper tools and a sharp hand saw for efficient small-tree work.

Retire a ladder that has been in a fall or a strong impact, even if damage is not obvious. Aluminum can crack at joints in ways that are hard to see.