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Thread: Pruning palm fronds.

  1. #1
    Murray
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    Default Pruning palm fronds.

    O.K. you Queenslanders (or anyone for that matter)...

    Client has two palms (unkown variety - but NOT Cocos type - abundant growth and large seed pods) at the entrance to her pergola. The main trunk is only about a metre tall but the fronds come out at ground level and are about three metres long. Spiky as hell close to the trunk.

    What's the general go here? Straight in with the pruning saw and go for it, or is there more to it?

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Member of Forum haireyscarie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pruning palm fronds.

    Quote Originally Posted by Murray
    O.K. you Queenslanders (or anyone for that matter)...

    Client has two palms (unkown variety - but NOT Cocos type - abundant growth and large seed pods) at the entrance to her pergola. The main trunk is only about a metre tall but the fronds come out at ground level and are about three metres long. Spiky as hell close to the trunk.

    What's the general go here? Straight in with the pruning saw and go for it, or is there more to it?

    Thanks.
    can you get a piccy please ,so we can a better idear

    cheers
    []

  3. #3
    Member geejay's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pruning palm fronds.

    the main thing with single stem palm trees is that the top of the trunk is the only growing point,that is if you cut the trunk off it will not grow again,therefore prune to lowest posible point to the base of the trunk with out cutting into the trunk,maybe 1cm away could be safe.

    does the palm have pinate leaves bluey silver in colour?

    cheers
    geejay

  4. #4
    Murray
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    Default Re: Pruning palm fronds.

    Quote Originally Posted by haireyscarie
    can you get a piccy please ,so we can a better idear

    cheers

    Will do. Next Wednesday is my next visit i'll grab one then.

    Thanks

  5. #5
    Member of Forum Stripes's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pruning palm fronds.

    Sounds like Date Palms. Awefull things. They are very spiky so be careful with them. What I normally do is cut off all the leaf up to the parts that dont have the spikes and load them up, then get a plastic rubbish bin and cut off the parts with the spikes (it should be about 30cm or so?) and put them straight into the bin so you dont have to handle them twice. This way you can just unload the fronds without the fear of getting stabbed and empty the bin directly at the tip away from anywhere people can walk or drive on them.

    I was told of a bloke that ended up in hospital for three days after being stabbed by one of these things. Apparently rats love to live in them and their urine is on the spikes, so when stabbed by the spikes you can get an infection from the rat urine. Nice plants!

  6. #6
    Murray
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    Default Re: Pruning palm fronds.

    Quote Originally Posted by geejay

    does the palm have pinate ...?

    Sorry! Lost me there.

    The leaves are green rather than bluish/silver.

    I'll ID the thing properly and get back to you next week.

  7. #7
    Murray
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    Default Re: Pruning palm fronds.

    Quote Originally Posted by Formal Gardens
    Sounds like Date Palms. Awefull things. They are very spiky so be careful with them. ... I was told of a bloke that ended up in hospital for three days after being stabbed by one of these things...
    I reckon you are correct. In Mildura when I was a kid there were massive palms lining the main drag.

    My brother stabbed himself in the foot with one spike and ended-up with a horribly poisoned foot.

    This is what I am worried about.

    Feel like taking to the spikes with a lopper and then hitting the rest of it with a chainsaw.


    But, then, a mangled mess is probably NOT what she is after!

  8. #8
    Member geejay's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pruning palm fronds.

    Quote Originally Posted by Murray
    Sorry! Lost me there.

    The leaves are green rather than bluish/silver.

    I'll ID the thing properly and get back to you next week.
    green pinate leaves = phoenix canneransis(most likely),reclinata or roebellini

    blueish pinnate would have been butia capita.

    (fan leaf palms are not pinate)

    do you have a pole prunner?

    thats how we would prune them(at a long distance,pricky buggers)

    if you do use a pole prunner cut to form a hinge,half way through from underneath,2nd and cut from the top inch or two behind,palm leaf will hinge down towards trunk,3rd cut on hinge with tip of pole prunner chain saw,down she goes,this way the thing will not slide down the pole and spike you.remember it will spring out once it hits the ground. on ground cut into manageable pieces.
    geejay

  9. #9
    Senior Member mowjoman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pruning palm fronds.

    All Palms should be nuked!!!!! I hate em'.
    Cheers, Jason.

    If your lawns and garden's have lost their Mojo...
    Call Mowjo Man

  10. #10
    Murray
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    Default Re: Pruning palm fronds.

    Hi folks.

    This is the closest to size and appearance I can find.

    Mine (i.e. the customer) has fronds almost to ground level and a larger/taller main trunk (1m 'ish) and is in the ground rather than a pot.

    This is the shape I envisage after pruning.



    (thanks Geejay)

    I'll print the photo and take it to show her.

  11. #11
    Murray
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    Default Re: Pruning palm fronds.

    Quote Originally Posted by geejay
    ...do you have a pole prunner?
    No unfortunately.

  12. #12
    Member of Forum Stripes's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pruning palm fronds.

    That is the Date palm (Phoenix canariensis).

    Burn it! Shocking things.

  13. #13
    Senior Member mowjoman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pruning palm fronds.

    Those spikes are capable of going straight thru ya hand. Be careful if there are small kids running around the vicinity. I'm with Formal Gardens.....Burn it!!!
    Cheers, Jason.

    If your lawns and garden's have lost their Mojo...
    Call Mowjo Man

  14. #14
    Murray
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    Default Re: Pruning palm fronds.

    Thanks for the advice folks.

    I'll let the customer know that the general consensus is to rip the bloody things out.

    Alas, I feel she will just want them pruned.

  15. #15
    Member of Forum Stripes's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pruning palm fronds.

    Quote her a fortune to prune it and remind her it will need to be pruned regularly! The spikes go straight through gloves too, and they can be weedy.

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