Well, that’s probably because most of the people looking for something like this on the internet just happened to find pruning shears and aren’t gardeners. I number among this category of hobby-I’ll-be-able-to-do-that-gardening. That’s why I also searched the Internet for information on palm pruning.
It’s not that easy.
At least finding good guides. Cutting itself is not difficult once you figure out how to do it.
Because of that I decided to write down how I do it. Maybe it will help others as well.
Why should palm trees be pruned at all?
First, it looks nice. In addition, it is necessary to avoid risk of fire. Few burns better than dry palm leaves! Smooth palm trunks also help prevent pests from settling in.
Prune your palm trees in winter
Palm trees should be pruned in winter. If you cut off green parts of the palm tree, sap escapes, which attracts the palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) with its smell. He can kill the palm tree by destroying the palm heart.
This beetle is less active in winter. Palm trees are actually not “real” trees. They have no bark and cannot easily grow a new shoot if the crown breaks off or is cut off. In that case the tree dies. They only grow at the top of the trunk by forming new leaves there. This is the heart of the palm. If this is destroyed, the palm dies.
First I have to say that I´m talking about real palm trees. No palmys. Really big trees. Mine are about 35 years old, have been growing in our garden for 30 years, and are about 8 meters tall. I think these are specimens of the “Washingtonia”. In the near future I’ll have to think about what I’ll do if my ladder isn’t long enough anymore. But it’s not that far yet.
Under no circumstances should crampons be used to climb a palm tree. With these you damage the trunk and pests can nest there.
Ensure safety
You should always consider your own safety. Most of the people I’ve spoken to don’t want to cut palm trees, because they’ve fallen off the tree at some point while cutting them. Well, I usually think “it’s their own fault”. There is enough protective equipment out threr. I think it’s worth an investment. Especially since these trees will definitely not get any lower in the next few years.
I also highly recommend gloves. The leaves have thorns or spikes on the sides that are often as good as a saw. I also use a protection mask most of the time. Parrots like to sit in our palm trees, and they also deposit their waste there. Of course, when cutting the leaves, everything rains down on the one cutting. Well, bird droppings in the lungs are said to be not so healthy…
If there is sufficient safety, you can start. You can saw off the leaves at the stem and remove the remains from the trunk next year or the year after. I think that´s quite tiring. The stems have a lot of tough fibers that are similar to the lining of cut protection clothing. Accordingly, it is quite difficult to saw through them. The leaves also grow fairly close together. Therefore, you have to be careful not to injure your hand on a neighboring leaf when cutting.
I think it´s actually easier to cut off the leaves close to the stem with a carpet knife where they are still very thin. Once you’ve fought your way under the leaves to the trunk, you don’t need much strength. The following year, you can remove what’s left simply by rubbing the trunk with a gloved hand.
The flowers of these palm trees are located between the leaves and are about 6 meters long. At the trunk, they are about as thick as an adult forearm. They first grow upwards, then bend downwards and branch out. If possible, I leave the flowers alone. This demands strength from the palm tree but the birds are very happy about the fruit. Also, it’s very difficult to cut them off. Next year, when they´ve dried out, it’s easier to pull them down with the leaves.
Birds, especially parrots, like to build their nests in the treetops. It´s very interesting for me that they always fly to a neighboring palm tree and fetch the material for building their nest there, although the leaves on their palm tree are exactly the same.
If the flowers are hanging over the sidewalk or otherwise pose a thread if they get dry and fall off, I remove them. For me the easiest way to do this is to use a small cordless reciprocating saw with an attachment for cutting branches. I’ve also tried a hand chain saw. Not successful at all. It works quite well with a serrated knife, but it is very tiring.
It is usually advised not to remove leaves that do not hang lower than 90 degrees. However, I prefer to leave all the green leaves on the palm as it looks fuller that way. This has the disadvantage that the low-hanging leaves soon turn brown and then spoil the perfect appearance again. I’m happy to accept that.