Trimming Palm Trees...

• Dead, dying and loose fronds weakly attached to some palms can put people and property at risk if they fall from tall palms. Dead and dying palm fronds should be removed regularly to reduce this risk. Also, contribute improving the appearance of a palm
• Removing fruit clusters, especially when they are messy as well as hazardous, is a major reason for pruning palm trees. Some palms generate plenty amounts of seedlings near the plant, therefore removing flowers, fruits or seeds reduces the number of potential seedlings. Getting rid of fruit clusters avoid rodents as well.
• Removing sprouts from the base of the trunk
• Some palms, have spiny armament like the Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis), that can be dangerous if people come in touch with them. These spines should be removed when the palm is still small and if it is near walkways or driveways.

Trimming palm trees reducing green leaf area, minimizes food production. Eventually, healthiness and life of the palm will be in danger.

Palms must have as many green fronds as possible to produce a continuous supply of food to grow, stay healthy and build storage reserves The more green leaves any plant has, the more growth that will be produced.

A regular turnover of foliage occurs as new fronds replace dying lower ones. These dead fronds are not harmful to the tree. Actually many species of palms (like the washington palm - Washingtonia robusta) keep their brown fronds for so many years, that they look like a skirt.

It is preferable not to remove live, healthy fronds. If pruning palm trees is necessary, then avoid removing fronds that are growing horizontally or those growing upward. Fronds removed should be very close to the petiole base without damaging living trunk tissue.

Are you noticing excessive numbers of yellow fronds? Find out the cause before trimming palm trees. Could be a severe nutrient problem caused by potassium or magnesium deficiency that might worsen the problem if the palm is trimmed. Fertilizing with high percentage of nitrogen or the wrong type of fertilizer will blight the fronds as well.

Palms produce their food themselves, like almost all the other plants. What you get at the stores are nutrients (fertilizer) that the plant uses, with water and sunlight to make food.

Do Not Over Prune

Next drawings illustrate the right and wrong way to prune a palm tree.

Before Trimming

Proper Trimming

Over Trimming

This page is a resource for do-it-yourself. What if you lack the time, desire, or ability to deal with your own landscape work? Many landscape companies throughout the State of Florida offer this type of maintenance services.

When we moved to Florida, I felt in paradise, tropical plants and palm trees to enjoy! Suddenly I realized that there was a lot of work to do and trimming the palm trees was not something for us to try. We were determined to find a landscape service person.

We have been researching palm tree trimming people for a while.

Our most important tip? Find relevant people to do the job!

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