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Florida Gardening

Trimming palm fronds?

13 years ago

I'm still trying to figure out this Florida gardening (been here almost a year). Our property has 27 Queen palms. When we bought it, I had a landscaper clean up the yard, and the first thing he did was cut off all the dead palm fronds. Then I got a book on palms, and it said to never cut them, as it weakens the tree. The tree absorbs the nutrients from the frond and drops it when it's through. I just read another book on palm care, and the author said to make sure to cut the fronds as soon as they start to yellow, as they are easier to cut then. It sure saves me a lot of work if I don't have to trim them, but they do look a little messy (I can deal with it, though, my yard is hardly manicured!). What's the consensus on this?

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Comments (4)

fawnridge (Ricky)
13 years ago
Trimming green fronds off a palm that cleans itself (called "a self-cleaning" palm) will eventually "pencil" the palm and kill it. You can trim fronds off a Queen Palm at any time since it is not a self-cleaning palm. They are easier to cut through before they go all the way to brown and with 27 of them, I'd be cutting them as soon as the tips start to yellow.
umpire1
13 years ago
You are correct about the on-going battle over Palm Pruining. Your best bet is to go to the Universituy of Florida Extension Serive Website. They are the experts on all that grows (Or dies) in a Florida garden. Check out their publication entitled: "Care and Maintenance of Landscape Palms in South Florida" Abide by the 3PM-6PM rule and you will be fine. Hope this helps.
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Hey theseventhlegend, I think you may have some kind of fungus or even bud rot. This can happen in the winter, especially with cool damp weather. You should try applying a copper fungicide or try Consan Triple Action 20 fungicide. I have just started using this on some of my sick coconut palms and a sick silver queen that I have. It was recommended by a palm nursery in the south Houston area. So far, I have only lost one sick coconut palm, but I am afraid it was already to far gone by the time I started the fungicide applications. Since then, I have not lost a palm, and I appear to have 5 other palms, 4 coconuts, and the one silver queen that all have similar symptoms. Whatever you do, I have found that you really need to taper off on watering when the weather is cool. Palms, especially the more tropical ones, really need to dry out between watering. I used to water mine twice a week in the winter. Now I am tapering off my watering to every 7-10 days. Anyway follow the directions on the fungicide and good luck. John
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Hi hevykevy420. You can cut them off where they bend or at the base of the frond. Whichever. Although some people here say don't cut any living green off. Since its just a Majesty I think it'll be OK this time. I've learned if you buy a Majesty Palm don't get too attached to it. They can be a pain. About the drain hole. Unplug it now and throw the plug away. Get a drip tray for when its inside. Just water it in the shower or outside, let it drain and set it on the tray when its finished. I hope Mr Droopy can get it back up in the future. LOL! Good luck! BTW. Heres what I'd do with it. LOL!
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Cut it off, thats no problem and the yellow banana leaves can come off too. If they are dead cut them off, it makes for a cleaner looking plant.
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Its not only drought that can cause this problem. Usually it's caused by winter cold damage (maybe a combination of cold winter weather with wet weather). Pindos take a VERY long time to show winter damage. My unprotected pindo (it was a mild winter) started losing fronds around May from winter damage, but the middle fronds stayed green so it is alive. My protected one is growing (and had no damage) so that's how you know for sure that it survived the winter. Give the center frond a nice tug and it will pull out. Then treat with some peroxide and water well. If the fronds continue to die from the middle, then cut the trunk down about an inch or so. This is a last resort as trunk cutting in just the right spot sometimes will be enough to get some new fronds to grow, but it will take about 2 summers for it to look full again, but it will look nice before that. Good luck! Hope it makes it! -Alex
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gatormomx2
13 years ago
The UF advice on palms is it's healthier for the plant to not cut the fronds
until the midrib is brown all the way to the trunk.
The reason is that as long as there is green,
the palm continues to make food.
Any cut is an invitation for insects and disease.
You can trim back the fronds if you do not like the dead brown look
or the fronds smack you in the face.
Since you do not mind waiting until the fronds fall, go with that.
It's the best plan for the health of your palms.
You were right!
stuartwanda
13 years ago
I think you should cut the dead fronds, they become deadly projectiles in a hurricane. And the berries are soo heavy that I would cut that off too when it is just flowers.

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