Looking After Your Palm Tree - 7 Essential Tips

Here's some helpful tips to keeping your palms looking their best.

Palm Trees need to be trimmed frequently.

Although it's important to regularly prune your palms, some homeowners tend to trim palm fronds  too often. It's tempting to prune the leaves as soon as another leaf grows believing that trimming frequently will lead to thicker growth. Just like any plant, palm trees don’t need maintenance every day. They will actually thrive with less pruning.

Dead leaves are harmful to the tree.

Dead leaves can detract from the visual appeal of your palm tree, however those dead, withered leaves will not harm the plant in any way. Plants don’t suffer if you keep dead leaves on them. They shed old leaves naturally and leaving these dead or withered leaves have no detrimental effect on the plant’s health.

Palms have to be groomed every season.

Palm trees may be tropical plants but they are a lot sturdier than most other plants. Unlike other tropical plants, they don’t need constant attention. Because it is a tree, the sturdy fibres allow it to withstand harsher climate conditions than most tropical plants. So don't fuss over your palm trees, let them breathe.

How to Determine If It’s The Right Time To Prune Your Palm Tree

As previously mentioned, unnecessary trimming of your palm tree can be harmful to your plant. Pruning any tree can be risky and palm trees are no exception. It can be very risky climbing even a couple of feet up just to remove a leaf. You need to determine whether trimming your palm tree is crucial or if it’s optional.

You need only trim them:

• If the palm tree is a potential fire hazard
• If the palm tree encroaches on your neighbour’s property
• If the palm tree is blocking the path to driveways or sidewalks
• If the palm tree is bearing fruit or seeds and you want to remove it
• If the palm tree poses problems during storm season

Prepare Your Tools

Maintaining your palm tree is dangerous and not as simple as bringing out your favourite garden shears.

To ensure your safety, ensure you have the right equipment to do the job properly. You must consider the size of the tree when choosing the right tool. To make your pruning easier make sure your tools are sharp.

You can use a serrated knife or a handsaw for smaller fronds.

A power saw is the best tool for removing larger fronds on the tree, but they are dangerous and you need to be very competent in their use.

You can do your pruning yourself, but for your safety and the safety of your family, it is always best to call a professional arborist or tree trimming company.

Cut The Fronds

We strongly suggest for beginners and non-professionals, you have someone with you while you maintain your palm tree. Working with someone helps make the job safer. You have someone helping you spot problems in your palm tree, and if things go wrong, you have someone to help. Pruning palm trees is dangerous, so ensure you have the correct safety gear before you start.

If there are any fruits or flowers, they can be removed to promote thicker growth. These fruits and flowers take energy from the tree, and can affect how your palm tree grows new leaves.

Hire A Professional 

Hiring a professional is definitely the best way to maintain and prune your palm tree.

You don’t need to worry about having the right equipment or putting yourself or your family at risk.