Palm trees are a beautiful addition to any landscape, but they can also be an immense pain in the neck if not cared for correctly. They need plenty of water and fertilizer, and when it’s time for them to be trimmed, you have two options: hire a professional or do it yourself. In this article, we’ll discuss how you should go about trimming a palm tree and the pros and cons of hiring a professional to trim your palm tree or doing it yourself.
DIY Palm Tree Trimming
If you have the time and patience, DIY palm tree trimming is a great option for your palm tree’s needs. If they are not trimmed often enough or aren’t cut in the right places, it can be difficult to do later because of their awkward shape. You can remove dead fronds that won’t grow back yourself to save money on the cost of a professional, but it also puts you at risk of accidentally damaging the tree or hurting yourself.
Pruning palm tree fronds is a challenging and dangerous task. That’s why taking security measures when working at heights is essential for your safety.
It Takes Time
The time it takes for tree pruning depends on how many palm trees you have to trim, how large they are, and how many dead or broken fronds you need to remove. Another factor that will determine the time it takes to trim palm trees is how confident you are in the art of tree trimming. It usually takes a professional one to two hours to complete a tree job (whether trimming palm fronds or removing flower stalks), but it can take an amateur at least half a day. So, if you plan on trimming your palms yourself, ensure you give yourself plenty of time to prep, trim, and clean up afterward.
Pruning Tools You’ll Need
The first thing you should get is cutting blades that will help clean the trunk and cut leaves efficiently. We recommend pruning shears as you can use them for any task that requires precision work, such as trimming your palms or other trees. You don’t want to cut off too much, but just enough to keep your palms healthy. You also want to ensure you are not cutting off too many green fronds, as these are the healthy fronds.
The best way to remove thick and large fronds from a palm tree is with either a hand saw or pruning saws. Be extra cautious because you don’t want to damage the tree, so use a saw only if necessary. Ensure you remove all of the brown fronds. Serrated knives will help cut off small leaves that grow on the tree.
You’ll also need protective gear, including safety glasses and gardening gloves. The glasses will protect your eyes from any debris from trimming the dead branches, and the gloves will keep your hands clean and your palm trees free from disease.
Steps For Pruning
Step 1: Trim a Palm Tree With Caution
Practice caution when you are trimming palm trees. You need the right equipment, and you should know what you’re doing because making mistakes can cause long-term damage to the health of your tree. Start by looking for dead or dying fronds at the base of its foliage. Make sure when cutting each leaf off near the trunk you have 2 inches (5 cm) of distance between where they were cut in order not to do more harm than good. Don’t cut the green fronds, as these are healthy leaves.
Ensure you never cut off the top of a palm tree, as that could seriously hurt your plant, and it will eventually die. If your tree dies, you will need a palm tree removal service. Be sure that you know beforehand the type of palm tree you have. For example, King Palms and Kentia Palms are self-cleaning palms, and their leaves will naturally fall off on their own when they are too old. These types of palms don’t need to be trimmed unless for safety reasons or if they present a fire hazard.
Step 2: Remove Palm Fruits and Flowers
Some of your palms may produce palm flowers or fruits. Both can drain the energy your palm needs to grow more leaves. They can also attract pests, such as insects. Insects like to get stuck between the palm’s larger fronds and the ground, which can cause debris to fall from the tree onto your walkways. To prevent this problem from occurring altogether, it’s best to cut off the flower growths when they’re first seen poking through. Then, remove pieces of the fruit stalk with gardening gloves since both flowers and fruit attract insects.
Step 3: Proper Cleanup and Disposal of Dead Fronds
Palm trees are great for the environment, but they don’t come without their drawbacks. Palm tree owners need to be aware of how and where to dispose of debris from this type of plant, as not all materials can be placed in your regular trash due to local regulations regarding what can go into garbage cans or landfills.
It’s important to contact your local waste service company to ensure what type of materials are accepted or where you can dispose of your palm’s debris.
Hiring a Professional To Trim a Palm Tree: Pros and Cons
Hiring a pro may be worth the money if you don’t have the time or patience for DIY tree services because they’ll get the job done quickly and leave you with beautiful looking palms. Plus, they have the experience to know exactly what they are doing. Here are some pros and cons to consider.
Cons
Hiring someone for professional palm tree trimming can be more expensive than doing it yourself. Depending on how tall and thick the fronds are on your palm, you can expect to pay anywhere between $100-$400. Pruning tall trees will be more expensive than a small palm tree trimming.
Not all tree services know what type of palms they are working on, which could cause damage to your trees. It’s best to ask about the company’s experience before hiring anyone for the job.
Pros
A professional tree trimming company will always ensure safety first. Most are insured, which means if anything does happen to your palm tree or other landscaping plants, they have you covered.
Hiring for professional tree services can save time to take care of other important things in life—no need to deal with the hassle yourself. Plus, professionals will clean up after themselves.
Whether you decide to trim your palm trees yourself or search for professionals, it’s always wise to ask for advice. Ecopro Tree Service & Outdoor Solutions professionals can quickly answer your questions and provide the best advice for your palm trees. Call (941) 201-2620 today!
