At the end of our long summer, you may be considering having your palm trees trimmed. Whenever we see brown on our plants, we tend to want to remove it. Before you hire a palm tree trimmer, there are a few things homeowners and property managers should understand about palms.
Trimming Can Protect your Palms
The best way to protect your palms is with a little knowledge of your own. When it comes to trimming palm trees, my basic rules are:
1. Only trim brown fronds
2. See rule #1.
The persons who trimmed the palms above have left them vulnerable to wind (and it’s still hurricane season!). Damage to the tree could also come from extended periods of cold or moisture this winter.
Palm Tree Trimming Basics
Be sure to ask questions and only hire someone who understands that less is more when it comes to trimming palm trees. Actually, only hire a certified arborist. A certified arborist who carries insurance. I mean, he or she is up in a tree with a chain saw! They should be trained and they should be protecting themselves. Speaking of protection, ask if they have chain-saw chaps. Chaps are basic gear for professional arborist – and if you are a do-it-yourselfer using a chain-saw off the ground, you should invest 100 bucks and buy yourself a pair of chaps.
Your palm tree trimmers should also be protecting your palm trees from diseases that their other customers palms have. And that is fairly easy. Trimming tools should be disinfected between each palm tree – not just between customers, but between each and every palm tree.
What to Ask your Palm Trimmer
- Are you certified? May I see your certification?
- Do you carry insurance?
- How much do you plan to remove?
- How do you disinfect your saws?
- What palm diseases are you seeing out there?
- What safety equipment do you wear while you are working?
And to finish where we started, less is more when trimming palms. I happen to think these palms look better with a full “skirt”. Just because someone has a lift truck and a saw does not make him a tree trimmer.
