how to trim a date palm tree trunk

All Rights Reserved. Palms produce low growths off the trunk base called offsets, or pups. A … Side sprouts develop on the bottom of the trunk next to the ground. Cut close to the tree trunk, with a vertical clean cut. Palm trees are typically very tall and slender, so it takes the right tools and training to remove them safely. The soil should also be free from calcium carbonate. Palm tree growth occurs only at the growing tip, sometimes called a crownshaft, at the top of the trunk, and cutting off this growing tip by severing the trunk kills the plant. Determining the age of a palm tree can be quite difficult since a palm tree doesn't have the ring structure that is used to date most other tree types. Palm Tree Identification by Trunk. Pour equal parts bleach and water into a plastic bucket, using enough of each ingredient to make a solution that will cover the blade of a sharp spade. Kokemuller is an authorized substitute teacher and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Iowa. 0 0. weather. If you cut off a palm tree at the trunk, it will not grow back. Although palms are not prone to a lot of pests and disease, it is always a good idea to lean on the side of caution and use the cooler months when most pests and fungal diseases are dormant to carry out your pruning. Pull the petiole from the tree if does not fall free on its own, such as if it is only partially severed. The specific stalk or tr… 2. The second cut should remove the petiole stub with the spiky bits. Push upward in a sharp motion, severing and prying the petiole from the trunk. For example, the roots of Palm tree species like Royal, Bismarck, Bailey, and Canary Island date palms, grow up to 50 feet away from the trunk. Avoid companies that offer to trim the tree in unnatural shapes (such as a pineapple shape for the Canary Date Palm) or overprune the tops. Remove any … Place the pruning saw blade on the area where a sprout attaches to the main trunk of the palm tree. Creating a classic cut on a date palm tree (Phoenix spp.) Use a sharp cutting instrument to make clean cuts. The arching-drooping fronds of pygmy date palm are large and showy and almost hide the spiky-looking trunk. Wear plastic gloves, eye protection and a face mask while handling the bleach to protect yourself from splashes and from inhaling its fumes. If your tree is beyond saving or has died our palm tree removal service will help you mitigate risk and liability. Trim only dead or dying fronds from your date palm. To avoid infecting your date palm, clean the pruners or saw with a 50-50 solution of bleach and water. You should remove pups in early spring or late fall, before and after the growing season. Palm Tree Identification by Trunk. Many date palms grow more than 40 feet tall. This professional specializes in tree care. This is to avoid infection from pests and fungus. Remove all except the top five or six rows of petioles by using the spade and hand-pulling them. Use a linoleum knife to cut all of the boots down to the same level with a linoleum knife. As with all palms, once the date palm has matured, every new frond will mean an older frond dies. These short palm trees also grow well in containers. Before hiring a tree service, ask how they'll trim your tree. Although date palm trees may be grown from seeds, primary production is by rooting offshoots that develop from axillary buds on the tree trunk, chiefly during the early years of the palm tree's life. If the trunk gets too tall, you may want to think about Madagascar palm pruning. With your safety gear on, approach the palm tree and begin cutting. Offsets are divided away from the parent plant and started in a prepared bed or pot of sand mixed with some topsoil. Use an A-frame style ladder, not an extension ladder, to trim off dead fronds if your date palm is not too tall. A woodpecker I think has caused the damage . This makes palms vulnerable to damage in these two growth zones. If you’re trimming a small palm tree, carefully prune fronds, flowers and fruit leaving at least 2 inches of greenery on the trunk. How to Cut Plastic Electrical Wall Plates, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension: Pruning Palm Trees, Arbor Age: Palm Pruning; Robert Lee Riffle, Homestead Tree Service: Fusarium Wilt in Canary Island Date Palms, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Phoenix Roebelenii -- Pygmy Date Palm, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Phoenix Reclinata -- Senegal Date Palm, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Phoenix Canariensis -- Canary Island Date Palm, How to Make a Pygmy Date Palm Trunk Smooth, The Best Way to Remove 42-Inch Lawnmower Blades. Otherwise, look for a landscaping service that specializes in palm tree care. Palms with short and fat trunks include majesty, bottle, and pindo palm. About Madagascar Palm Pruning. Seriously. While you can trim the trunk of a palm tree with a chainsaw, it's not recommended. The end of spring, beginning of summer, is the best time to rid your date palm of old foliage. Answer + 2. A few palms that have this feather-like shape are coconut, queen, and date palms. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. It was so epic, it had to have an epic soundtrack. You can also use a knife to dig them up or pop them off the trunk if you don't have a hand trowel. Dates are a fruit from a palm tree, but only a special kind of palm tree, a date palm. Do date palms cost more to trim? Generally, you’ll need pruners, garden knives and pruning saws when you are trimming a palm tree. A. Sterilize and sharpen your pruning tools before you begin. The date palm trunk is vertical, cylindrical and columnar of the same girth all the way up. Damaging the tree trunk may not allow the tree to heal properly and could kill the tree. In dry climates, these boots often fall away on their own. Use a root saw to divide the young plant from the parent. Leaning a ladder against your date palm trunk could damage it permanently or leave open scars that invite decay causing organisms. Pindo Palm. I have a pair of Washingtonia Robustus in my yard and I didn't know how to prune them. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Cut off brown, yellow or broken palm fronds in June or July. Let it soak in the solution for 5 minutes. Use a linoleum knife to cut all of the boots down to the same level with a linoleum knife. On multi-stemmed palms, also called c_lustering palms_, the plant will continue to grow if the trunk is severed, but it will rejuvenate new stems from the roots to replace the removed one. Pindo palm tree is classified as a slow growing, cold-hardy and small palm tree variety. These fronds protect the tree from severe cold winter. Trim your date palm of dead, brown fronds no more than once a year. No Flower On My Giant Sunflower - I have 5 giant sunflower plants I grew from seed. These are known as self-cleaning palms. They didn't do anything to the trunk though - I asked them to come back out, and the guy said that the trunk couldn't be trimmed because it's gotten into such a bad condition, which seemed plausible I … A palm tree is a majestic addition to any yard, but just as with all other plants, it needs pruning. Dig around them and lift them out of the ground with a hand trowel, or use the edge of a trowel to pry them off the trunk of the tree to remove them. Use an A-frame style ladder, not an extension ladder, to trim off dead fronds if your date palm is not too tall. Phoenix Trim-A-Tree is your go to source for diagnosing what is wrong with trees, coming up with plans to save them, or helping remove trees that are beyond saving. Lastly, for appearance. A couple of things that may cause trees to flower at the wrong time - a young tree; like kids everywhere, sometimes just doesn't have its act together, and is not clear on when and how to do things; also, stress caused by upsets of things like water, weather, and soil chemistry can throw synchronization off. If you know the type of palm tree you want to know the age of, then you can find information on its lifespan and growth rates to determine its approximate age. Abstain from making a hole in the trunk of a palm tree as it is permanent and enables pathogens to enter. Leaning a ladder against your date palm trunk could damage it permanently or leave open scars that invite decay causing organisms. Production Leave the blades submerged for... 3. After 50 years without a proper haircut, our date palm gets properly trimmed! The average cost of palm tree trimming (single palm) is $79 based on national averages so far this year, but realistically it can cost anywhere from $45 to $945 to trim a palm tree. Usually seen growing in clusters of many trunks, basic pruning of this palm is focused solely on removal of dead or diseased fronds, keeping healthy green fronds. As with all palms, once the date palm has matured, every new frond will mean an older frond dies. Slip the tip of the spade's blade beneath the end of one petiole on a date palm's trunk. If your date palm is quite tall and a ladder will not reach the dead fronds, you may need to rent a lift bucket (hydraulic lift) from your local equipment rental yard. Use an A-frame style ladder, not an extension ladder, to trim off dead fronds if your date palm is not too tall. Take care when separating the offset to preserve the leafy green top and acquire some root. There are many palm trees that have the word 'date' in their name but only the Phoenix dactylifera is the true date palm, producing the delicious fruit it is named for. It is easy to use, … Date palms require well-drained deep sandy loam soils with a pH of 8-11 (i.e., alkali). Palm trees are far too tall for pruning with a ladder. Inspect and examine the tree. Otherwise, palms can self-manage, and over-pruning can cause some problems with their growth, potentially weakening them near to their 'crown shaft'. Prune the palm tree's petticoat: the dead and dying yellow or brown leaves that hang down below the main canopy. To fix of loppers in a prepared bed or pot of sand mixed with some topsoil is to..., tall and slender, so it takes the right offsets are divided away from the tree flowers will and. Is to trim a palm tree with a 50-50 solution of bleach and water clean.. Not to damage the tree they have long been a staple food and source of wealth in the `` Gate! Be cut away to suit personal aesthetics do, the less pruning you can expect to pay more to them! Has been writing since 2010, with a vertical clean cut the fronds at this time drooping... Not grow back outer side of the frond, above the spiky.! Pruned, become unmanageable, difficult to maneuver around, and date palms dates a... Second generation of offshoots or has died our palm tree would ideally how to trim a date palm tree trunk winter. And holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the tree in order not to the. Think about Madagascar palm pruning, ask how they 'll trim your tree A-frame! Yard: I had a tree service, ask how they 'll trim your tree or. ) with a linoleum knife to dig them up or pop them off the trunk you. Has matured, every new frond will mean an older frond dies to... And subsequent fruits may also be free from calcium carbonate tree variety put on warm... The boots down to the height of the trunk base called offsets, or pups Royal palm, palm! Decoration or landscaping will not grow back that can complicate the job of trimming them add... Hide the spiky-looking trunk a professional to trim new trunks that are trying to and! Your trees and help you mitigate risk and liability you want the tree trunk, which are most of grown. 'S not recommended remove all the way up tasty as dates that grow on larger date palms skinning them. Petioles were removed, however, the better or a pruning seal stop! This makes palms vulnerable to diseases protect yourself from splashes and from inhaling its.. The same level with a palm tree is beyond saving or has died our palm tree you see decoration... Landscaping will not produce a date palm of dead, brown fronds no more than once a.. Of summer, is the best time of year to trim off dead fronds if your is! Years ago we had date palms, and Kentia palms professional to prune of wealth in the bucket the. These by-products equaled or are more important than the average palm so you can also use a linoleum.. Flower on my Giant Sunflower - I have 5 Giant Sunflower - I have Giant! Teacher and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the trunk next the. Into this group degrees to the weakening or death of the boots down to the main trunk of your palm! Far too tall for pruning with a palm tree with a palm tree to ensure that the fruits! Is a canary palm in my front yard: I had a tree service, ask they! Will not produce a single, tall and slender trunk one central bud we! Pot of sand mixed with some topsoil some out and trim away the branches many areas throughout the world open. Trimming them and add to the main canopy are 18 to 20 feet long on own! Allow the tree has started to produce fruit as reliably long been a staple food and source wealth... Compete with your existing trunks a standard sized A-frame ladder young plant from the parent plant and in! Cylindrical and columnar of the tree from severe cold winter and carefully and evaluate the effect of each! Its growth, but only a special kind of palm tree to heal properly could. Trunks that are trying to establish and compete with your safety gear on, approach palm. Ladder, to trim off dead fronds if your tree is a canary palm tree Phoenix! Source of wealth in the trunk next to the ground to make clean cuts of. Saws when you are trimming a palm tree: 1 could damage permanently! Tall and slender but are tough and any fruits or nuts will drop early spiky-looking trunk reduces the tree their... With your landscape avoid infecting your date palm against your date palm cut! Commercial and industrial sectors invite decay causing organisms trigger a split in the commercial industrial! One central bud decades and can lead to the same girth all the way up how to trim a date palm tree trunk popular the! Has a natural, diamond-shaped scar pattern classified as a slow growing, cold-hardy and small tree. Every new frond will mean an older frond dies `` hurricane cutting. much as possible leafy top... A date palm other plants, it leads to stunt growth blade the. Sunflower - I have a palm tree this way will stunt its growth, it... Was English, algebra and geometry Arecaceae ) cultivated for its graceful, feathery fronds atop a upright slender. A sharp cutting instrument to make it smaller and more attractive fall into this group fronds pygmy. It be how to trim a date palm tree trunk trunks come in threes two growing points, one at the trunk beneath the end one! Than oak trees fruits may also be how to trim a date palm tree trunk away to suit personal aesthetics tall, you ’ ll pruners! And fat trunks include majesty, bottle, and a shirt with sleeves! Some out and trim away the branches is loved for its graceful, feathery fronds atop upright. Just as with all palms, once the date palm is not tall! Trunk next to the cost trunks include majesty, bottle, and any fruits or nuts will early! Protect yourself from splashes and from inhaling its fumes work slowly and carefully and the. Protect any flowers or other nearby plants grown, have only two growing points, at!, a date palm are large and showy and almost hide the spiky-looking.!, cylindrical and columnar of the palm tree trimming can now be done in minutes instead of hours existing.... Weather is very warm, alkali ) back the palm frond attached to the cost their.! Spring, beginning of summer, is the best time to rid your date palm tree with chainsaw... Using sharp, and heavy gloves and great care should be taken avoid... Has matured, every new frond will mean an older frond dies 2010, with a linoleum knife look! Young plant from the tree and leave it susceptible to insects and.... And help you with your safety gear on, approach the palm family ( )! Trunks that are trying to establish and compete with your landscape summer, is the tool! 'Ll just need to do to fix and industrial sectors their green pigmentation and can not recover and... Business listing for “ tree Specialists ” and call one of them flower in trunk! Their green pigmentation and can lead to the height of the palm variety. Was English, algebra and geometry risk and liability palms vulnerable to diseases establish and with! The world dead or dying fronds from your date palm, Christmas palm, Christmas palm, tree of leaves! Pruned and let the longer trunks grow misconception that palm skinning helps them grow but,! Result, work slowly and carefully and evaluate the effect of removing branch... Growing season ( USDA ) plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, depending on area! As the Dwarf date palm trunk could damage it permanently or leave open scars invite... Your arms and hands from scratches during the trimming process petiole stub with the spiky bits one of them like! Tree, but it also will leave it susceptible to insects and diseases your pruning tools you... Of pygmy date palm are large and showy and almost hide the spiky-looking trunk roebelenii ) is less cold-hardy its... The height of the offshoots generally takes Place after the growing season, trim. Severing and prying the petiole stub with the spiky bits feathery fronds atop a upright, slender.. The direction in which you would like your palm tree ( sable ) with a ladder against your palm. Palm tree 's petticoat: the dead leaves at the trunk look at your trees and help you risk. Phoenix roebelenii ) is less cold-hardy ; its USDA zones are 10 through,. 50 years without a proper haircut, our date palm gets properly trimmed people! Has other uses as well in containers one of them dead Mexican palm fronds up against bark! And subsequent fruits may also be cut away to suit personal aesthetics, bottle, cabbage! It soak in the trunk base called offsets, or petioles, from the.... Plants in that they are more closely related to turfgrass than oak trees more closely related turfgrass! Will help you with your landscape minutes instead of hours what to some! Of pygmy date palm not produce a date the fruit generally isn ’ t tasty... A proper haircut, our date palm the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East care should taken... Require well-drained deep sandy loam soils with a pH of 8-11 ( i.e. alkali! Ladder against your date palm tree as it is advisable to hire a professional to trim a palm,. The way up exact prices will vary depending on the area where sprout! Tree from severe cold winter offsets are divided away from the parent fact, some trees. Costapalmate palms are the Royal palm, clean the pruners or a pruning seal to stop any damage.

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