Bull Ants!

[TheTreeSpyder]

o yes, fergit the ants and such, we got "Do not Tresspass" palms (bush and tall) with ~12" long, narrow thorns with needle tips on them. They look like light starved leaves from the farther end of the stalk that turn into thes thorns or something; ie the thorns are where you are cutting and are hazard to eyes, ears , face, hands, clothes etc. Still have to tell the new guys about 6x to drag the 10' fronds by the soft end though!!!!

Or to stack for us or someone else to pull/remove serving up this safe end

i hate palms, the fine fiberglass dust is hard to breathe, itchy, the fibre clogs all equipment (saws, fan motor, air filter, chippers etc.). The fixed position in lanyard is very fatiguing etc. etc.

 

[The Big Hurt]

My most hated palm tree to trim is those darn washy's. They are often very brittle and dried out and they have those dam.n thorns on them. I always cut them back behind the thorns and when trimming the cabbages I cut them down to the "Y" of the fron and try to make the entire tree flush all the way up the trunk(especially for those palms that are fully booted).

 

[Tim Gardner]

 

[budroe69moni]

spyder,
all date palms have leaflets that are modified into spines near the trunk. other palms have thorns on the fron stem but they're not modified leaflets. the phoenix reclinatas are the worst. last summer, 2 groudies from a local tree service got "hit" and the little tip of the spines broke off and went into their legs. the little tips got lost in their bloodstream and one guy's leg swelled up to 3 times the size. he's was on workman's comp for about 4 months. no thanks. i walk away from those palms everytime!
budroe

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Wow thanx, i think they propagate some kinda nasty on the tip too, kinda nasty irritant, yes the spine worx in and not out (like a piece of fiberglass from the polesaw!), so got to get it out early. Also, this is a variety i like doing after the seed pods open, even though that is more weight sometimes. The dang dense seed pods are so heavy (some have to hit 80#?) and are sharp like spears! The stand very vertical and want to only fall straight down whenst ya cut em', hard to cut that celluose fibre and get it just to lean over, very dangerous to climber and anything on ground. Pretty hard to stay totally above your cuts in a palm! For regular fronds that isn't too bad, but 10' fronds with dozens of these 12" spikes near your face, hands and trying to get those giant seed pods out................. i hate palms!

 

[Reed]

First time I did multiple palmettos - 38 and I was so proud, and beat.

Golfcourse super came riding up in the cart, told me to get in and we drove the whole course back to the first palm, a sixty footer, and pointed out a seed pod that I didn't notice. I couldn't draw-up the energy to go up and get it. Had to drive all the way back the next day, Isle of Palms in S.C., from Folly beach - only ten minutes by boat but an hour on the road. Seed pods suck.

The next multiple job were palms that no one had ever trimmed, were in a jungle (wind protected), and soft, meaning my spikes bore in and didn't want to come out. Up twenty five feet I entered the skirt and my head found a paper wasp nest. Multiple stings and getting quickly multipleler, I couldn't even jump the spikes stuck too deep. The longest descent on record of course, I hit the ground eventually hoping someone would help swat them away but everyone ran off. This is why I suggest we all keep Benadryl handy in the truck.