Palm Tree Trimming. A Comprehensive Guide to Trimming Your Palm Tree

What comes to mind when you think of palm trees? A light summer breeze? White sand? A fruity drink served in a coconut?

If you're a palm tree parent instead of just a tropical visitor, chances are your thoughts run to palm tree trimming.

Like any other plant, palm trees need TLC to stay healthy. The good news is that unlike a lot of tropical plants (looking at you, orchids) palm trees are pleasantly low maintenance. Here's a look at what you need to do to keep your palms postcard-worthy (and when it's time to bring in the pros).

The Basics of Palm Tree Maintenance

Palm trees are generally laid-back plants, but they still flourish with a bit of attention.

The first step is to know your type of palm tree—specifically, what type of light it prefers. This is the only area where palm trees are picky. If you put a light-loving palm in a shady spot, you'll get a weak tree with a thick trunk and rangy, stretched-out leaves reaching for the sun. Conversely, if you plant a shade-loving palm (yes, there's such a thing) in the sun, its leaves will get sunburnt and brown and it will die.

You should also pay attention to what temperature range your palm trees tolerate. In Florida, this is especially important at night. Some trees originate in areas that regularly brave 100+ degrees Fahrenheit, while others can tolerate stark nighttime temperature drops. Your best bet is to look for trees that can handle the Florida climate.

Oh, and don't forget about water, which is also dictated by the species of tree. Some do their best cacti impression and take water once a week or less, while others need water as much as five times a week.

How to Brace a New Palm Tree

It's also a good idea to brace your palm tree, especially if it's a newly planted field-grown palm. These plants have a smaller root ball than a container plant, which makes it top-heavy and liable to tip over in heavy Florida winds).

To do this, take three or four braces of 2 x 4 lumber and space them evenly in the ground around the palm. Make sure they're tall enough to provide sufficient support in the event of heavy wind. Wrap burlap around the trunk, affix small pieces of wood over the burlap with metal bands, and nail the braces into the small pieces of wood (never, ever hammer nails directly into the palm trunk). Secure the braces with wooden stakes.

Keep the braces affixed for about a year, until the tree's root ball has spread out enough to ensure it won't tip over in a heavy wind.

When to Trim Palm Trees

So, how do you know when it's time to trim your trees?

Here's the good news: because palm trees are generally pretty hardy, they can tolerate trimming for much of the year. That said, they accept pruning best in the spring. You might not like the look of those dead fronds, but they actually help protect your tree against summer heat and winter chills.

If you live in Florida (where there's hot sun, moist soil, and lots of humidity) it's best to trim your trees in warmer months. Shoot for late spring, but not the dead of summer. This gives your beloved palms the best chance of recovery.

In general, your safest bet is to check your palm tree species and check its ideal trimming month (yes, that's a thing). Plan to trim your tree during that period.

You should also be careful not to over-prune your palms. This can actually hurt them, or even kill them. Remember, pruning reduces the amount of foliage available for the plant to absorb sunlight and make food, which means over-pruning starves your tree. Most trees will bounce back with time but always trim with care.

Palm Tree Trimming Tools

Every workman needs the right tools. Trimming your palm tree is no different.

You may need different trimming tools based on the size and species of tree, but in general, you're going to need:

• Cutting knife (for flower stalks)
• A pruning saw (for regular fronds)
• Chainsaw (for large fronds)
• A hand pruner
• An outdoor pole saw (for hard-to-reach spots)
• Rubbing alcohol
• A step stool
• Gardening gloves
• Protective eyewear
• A helmet (if working with a chainsaw or a large tree)

Your best bet is to assess the tree before you start pruning. A smaller tree will do just fine with a cutting knife and regular pruning saw, but a large and old tree may require a chainsaw. And no matter what, always wear gardening gloves and protective eyewear.

How to Trim a Palm Tree

Got your tools? Then you're ready to start your adventures in palm tree trimming. But first, you have to know your tree.

Inspect the Tree

Before you break out a single sharp object, take a good look at your tree. And yes, for the umpteenth time, check what species of palm tree you have. That's important to know because some palm trees don't require trimming at all. These are known as self-cleaning palm trees and include species like the Christmas palm.

You should also evaluate the current state of your palm tree, including what parts need trimming. Old and dead fronds are at the top of your pruning list—these can actually harbor pests. You can identify them by looking for yellow or brown leaves.

Surprisingly, you should also prune your palm tree if it's growing fruit or flowers. These might look nice, but they can also provide food and shelter for pests. Plus, they're a great way to invite wind damage.

If you see fronds that are generally green but yellowing a bit around the edges, leave them alone. Your tree is still using those for nourishment, and cutting them off early will hurt the tree.

Plan Your Prune

Once you've assessed your tree, you're ready to plan the prune.

Take a look at the tree as a whole and assess what needs to be removed. Your tree needs a full, circular canopy to remain healthy—otherwise, you'll wind up with a "hurricane cut", when you cut or thin too much of the tree and leave it susceptible to damage and disease.

If your tree is overdue for trimming and you can't trim all of the dead stuff without giving it a hurricane cut, focus on maintaining full foliage rather than stripping the tree. Give it a chance to grow between trimmings.

Once you know what needs to be pruned, you can make a list of the necessary tools. Again, you should only prune to remove dead fronds, hazardous limbs, fruit, or flowers. This may require different tools based on the pruning task—you don't need a chainsaw to remove a palm flower, but you might need it to cut off a hazardous limb.

Make the Cut

Before you make a single cut, break out your rubbing alcohol and sanitize all of your trimming tools. This will prevent the tree from getting an infection from your tools, much like a surgeon using sterile tools during surgery.

While pruning, imagine your whole palm tree like a clock. You can prune at or below the nine-to-three line, but never above. Otherwise, you'll give your tree a hurricane cut. You should also use the right technique while pruning.

The good news is that old, mature fronds (i.e. the ones that are dying) are usually located underneath the young fronds in the bottom half of the tree. To remove them, cut at least two inches away from the tree trunk—stripping the trunk is like tearing skin open, and it leaves the tree susceptible to disease and infection. Look for any fronds that are facing down or wilting. Think less than a 90-degree angle.

Once you've removed the fronds, cut the petioles they were attached to, but only if the petioles are loose. These are the small blades the frond was attached to. Trim them gently, and always wear gardening gloves to protect your hands against the sharp edges.

The only time you should climb to the top of your tree is if it's growing fruit or flowers. At that point, climb to the top of the tree to prune them from the crown, but leave the surrounding fronds alone.

Clean Up

Your work doesn't end once you've trimmed all the dead stuff.

Once you've removed the fronds, fruit, flowers, and petioles, dispose of them in a trash bin for organic waste. You should also dispose of any fruit, flowers, or seeds that fell while you were trimming—these can attract pests. Keep your gloves on while disposing of the plant waste.

If you're not sure where to dispose of the detritus, call your local waste disposal company. They can tell you how to properly dispose of organic waste.

After you've disposed of the cuttings, leave your palm tree alone for a year. No, really. Palm trees are hardy, self-sustaining plants, and they do their best growing when they get an annual checkup and are allowed to grow of their own accord for a while.

Palm Tree Trimming Advice

Think you've got this trimming thing down pat? Here are a few key tips to help you prune like a pro.

Know Your Palm Tree

We can't repeat this enough: know your palm tree. Half of your care decisions are dictated solely by the tree's species.

The thing is, there are over 2,600 different palm tree species, each with their own unique quirks. Christmas palms, for example, don't like getting trimmed at all, while some prefer an annual cleanup. Some trees, like the coconut, can be counted on to produce fruit, while others do so rarely.

In Florida, the most common species are:

• Coconut
• California fan
• Mediterranean fan
• Palmetto
• Queen fan
• Royal fan

This is important for factors as simple as growing the tree in a pot versus in the ground. Smaller varieties thrive in a pot, while large varieties need to be grown in the ground for sufficient space.

Get the Right Pruners

In much the same way you wouldn't take a screwdriver to a nail, you should never bring the wrong pruners to your trimming session.

While palm trees are pretty tough, you should still treat them with care to help them recover properly. Trimmers that are too weak for the job will require a lot of tearing and inflict injury to the palm. Conversely, taking a chainsaw to small fronds is imprecise, overkill, and highly likely to hurt yourself and the tree due to lack of precision.

In general, hand pruners are the best choice for small fronds. Only upgrade to a larger tool (a saw, for instance) when you know your shears can't handle those fronds. Save the chainsaw for cutting off hazardous limbs.

When to Hire a Tree Trimming Service

The good news with palm trees is that you don't need to be a professional arborist to keep them healthy. However, there are some cases when it's a good idea to hire tree trimmers.

First, if you're worried about harming your tree, don't be shy about bringing in the pros. Even if it's a small job, professional trimmers know how to keep your trees healthy—and they have the tools to efficiently trim all of your palms.

Second, if you're not sure what kind of palm trees you have, it's a good idea to hire a trimming service. They can figure out the species and when to trim the tree for optimal health.

Third, if you're doing major removal work, especially after a major storm, it's always a good idea to bring in professionals. At this point, you're likely removing large limbs and dealing with chainsaws, and it's much safer to enlist someone who knows their stuff. The same goes for large or extremely tall trees.

Last but not least, if you're just not comfortable trimming your own trees or handling tools, hire a service. The last thing you want is to hurt yourself or your trees.

Do Your Palms Need Trimming?

Few plants are as associated with Florida sunshine as the palm tree, and palm tree trimming keeps your backyard looking like a postcard scene. So if you're looking to keep your trees healthy for the whole family to enjoy, we're here to help.

Green Topps is a family-owned company that has served southwest Florida homeowners for the past 15 years. We believe tree trimming is an art, and our team of skilled arborists approach every tree trimming as a unique project based on the tree and your goals. We meet your needs while protecting the health of the tree, whatever that means for you.

If you need to schedule an estimate, get in touch today to let us know how we can help.