Palm tree trimming is a must if you’ve got palms on your property. If you’re living in the Coastal Bend, it’s likely you’ve got at least a couple of palm trees. South Texas is home to a wide variety of palm tree types, each with its own trimming needs. Read on to learn about how to tell when your palm trees need trimming and what you can do to ease the process.
How To Tell Your Palms Need Trimming
Palm trees need regular trimming to maintain their good looks and keep them healthy. But, how to tell when your palm trees need trimming? There are a few things to look for. Palm fronds from the previous season will likely be brown, dry, and brittle. These dead leaves should be trimmed once a year to maintain the looks of the tree. Depending on seasonality and the type of palm tree, trimming dead fronds could be a twice-yearly necessity.
While you should trim dead palm fronds, trimming green, healthy palm leaves can hurt the plant. Removing healthy leaves can leave the tree without the energy it requires to grow, and can leave the tree vulnerable to pests and disease. However, sometimes palms grow more than we expect. When a palm tree’s growth interferes with power lines or a roof, you may need to trim healthy leaves. Working with a professional can be helpful in these situations to trim the tree to be safe while doing the least damage.
Dangers of Untrimmed Palm Trees
While you may think of palm tree trimming as simply a cosmetic procedure, there can be consequences to neglecting palm tree care. Neglected palm trees full of dead branches pose a serious danger to anyone walking underneath. Some of these trees can grow to towering heights, and a branch falling can certainly injure someone or damage property. This is especially true for palm tree varieties with large spikes on their leaves — not something you want falling on you.
Untrimmed palm trees don’t only pose a threat from falling fronds, though. The organic material left to buildup on a palm tree is a breeding ground for all types of pests and diseases. Water accumulates in these areas and leaves the tree vulnerable to mold and disease.
Additionally, bugs and animals love an untrimmed palm tree. Anything from roaches to snakes to rats — you name it — an untrimmed palm tree is an invitation to create a nice cozy nest. Untrimmed trees are breeding grounds of pest infestations, and left untreated, these can spill over into other parts of your property and home.
When To Trim Palm Trees
Palm trees love the sun! And the summer is the best time to trim your palm trees. During the summer, your palm trees are in their most vigorous growth stage. By trimming dead and dying leaves, you allow the tree to focus on hearty new growth instead of maintaining dying leaves.
Additionally, palm tree trimming can be highly beneficial ahead of late-season summer storms. A trimmed palm tree will be free of extra weight and debris, and can perform much better in high winds.
How To Trim Palm Trees
Trimming palm trees can be quite a task to take on. Many species of palm trees can grow 35-50 feet tall or more! Palm tree trimming for these types of trees requires specialty ladders, safety equipment, and a lot of know-how. Climbing to these heights while wielding sharp tools can be a life-threatening situation. If you don’t have the experience to tackle such a project at home, it’s best to call a professional tree service for help.
But trimming the old fronds isn’t all the work to be done when it comes to palm tree trimming. Any service with experience will make sure that your palm trees are also cleaned after the trimming is done. The video below explains how to clean your palm tree trunks so they look great and keep pests and diseases away.
A Final Word
Palm tree trimming is a necessity for the look and health of any palms on your property. However, it can be an extremely dangerous job. CC Tree Service has been trimming palm trees for over 15 years. Our professional arborists are highly skilled in palm tree trimming and all of the safety measures required for such a job. If you need palm tree trimming on your property — commercial or residential — call CC Tree Service for a free estimate.