So I was trimming this palm tree...

[mikewhite85]

We don't have any palms around here but seems unprofessional to dig holes in those trees.....do they look like this when you get through?

Definitely a fair point. The picture of the holes in the palm is pretty extreme though. Palms are the only trees I will ever climb with spikes for pruning.

Unless you have a bucket truck, there isn't another safe way to do it. I have heard of people throwing a rope over the top of the palm, hitching it to the trunk of an adjacent tree, and using the SRT but I would be pretty afraid of cutting the rope.

Now that I think of it though, I have heard that you can also use a tree stand people use for hunting deer. You would probably want to get one that is pretty high quality as some of those palms seem to be 80-100 ft. I think I would be terrified to be high up in a Mexican Fan palm that is only 6 inches in diameter at the top. As someone else said earlier, those are the only trees that I don't mind having my clients' lawn guy do!

 

[outofmytree]

Yeah, well there are obviously thousands of pros capable of pruning or removing date palms without getting impaled by them, even after pruning thousands of them for decades.

Brush up on your pruning techniques and put away the stupid polesaws!

Nothing about palms are easy, and date palms will separate the men from the boys real quick in my experience here in SoCal.

A pole saw to prune a date palm practically guarantees a trip to the hospital.

All you need is a sharp midsize chainsaw like a 262 xp husky, saddle and gaffs with a steelcore lanyard and the right technique.

Fan palms kill far more climbers here than date palms do.

jomoco

It is possible to prune Phoenix caneriensis safely with a polesaw. I use a Stihl ht75 and have, over time, developed a comparatively safe technique which I described earlier. Climbing the palm with spikes and leaning way out from the stem to prune out of a harness and lanyard is a sure way to earn a trip to the chiropractor or physiotherapist to repair lower back damage. That trip of course would be directly after a trip to the ER to remove spines from your head, neck and shoulders.

I strongly disagree with your suggested technique and recommend that others exercise extreme caution before attempting to use it.

Given a choice I prefer to prune all Phoenix palms like this.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfysMNi9Nd0

 

[treevet]

I like the way you post examples of anything but an actual date palm TV, and offering opinions on trees you have no hands on experience with to boot.

Careful you don't get a date palm spike in yu TV!

jomoco

awwww did I huht yur feeelings buddy??

Guess it is ok to make holes in "actual date palms"....my bad

 

[treevet]

Now that I think of it though, I have heard that you can also use a tree stand people use for hunting deer. You would probably want to get one that is pretty high quality as some of those palms seem to be 80-100 ft. I think I would be terrified to be high up in a Mexican Fan palm that is only 6 inches in diameter at the top. As someone else said earlier, those are the only trees that I don't mind having my clients' lawn guy do!

This was on the same site Mike...

 

[tree MDS]

I remember the palms from south FL. The date palms could be painful indeed... still no reason to hate on whats actually a pretty cool looking palm. One of my favorites.

The fishtail palm is pretty evil though. We used to send the new guys after them, it was funny to watch it don on them that their arms were on fire while we were snickering.

Spiking palms was a big no no. Palms being monocots, dont compartmentalize. If i remember correctly we called it "bottlenecked", where you could see where the climber had stood on the spikes at the same height repeatedly. Those were pretty hairy. we used ladders or the bucket for palms.

 

[mikewhite85]

This was on the same site Mike...

Oh, sweet. But he is crazy to wear short sleeves and shorts!

 

[briggstwiggs]

Oh, sweet. But he is crazy to wear short sleeves and shorts!

agreed he is crazy cause you dont even make enough money on palms unless you have a bunch when there that big and you have enough rent a lift if you dont have a bucket. I dont trim the tall ones cause no one wants to pay its a waist of time. back to the thorn holly crap that was a big one also these thorns carry a poision in them I have had one stick in and break off and it actually moved about a 1/4 inch away from were it went in and stood up thought iwas going to push on it to make a new hole ya bad idea wasnt thinking pushed it down further. I had to have it lanced also couldnt close my hand for about a week. these things are sharp ive had them stick right through some thick leather

 

[Bermie]

I remember the palms from south FL. The date palms could be painful indeed... still no reason to hate on whats actually a pretty cool looking palm. One of my favorites.

.

Oh sure, I agree they are a pretty amazing landscape palm, can be very regal especially when planted in avenues or groups...I just hate working on them!

 

[tree MDS]

Oh sure, I agree they are a pretty amazing landscape palm, can be very regal especially when planted in avenues or groups...I just hate working on them!

I think it was what we called a "Queen Palm" that I thought was the nastiest looking. Those Washingtonia (?) palms could slash you up pretty good too.

I miss those trees right about now - its 22 degrees and we're expecting the first big snow storm of the year. maybe a foot or more.

 

[mikewhite85]

I think it was what we called a "Queen Palm" that I thought was the nastiest looking. Those Washingtonia (?) palms could slash you up pretty good too.

I miss those trees right about now - its 22 degrees and we're expecting the first big snow storm of the year. maybe a foot or more.

I am actually leaving SoCal on Tues to visit my family in Connecticut for the next 2 weeks. I can bring you a palm frond if you want!

 

[ROOTSXROCKS]

I thought the washintonias were a pretty palm back about 15 years ago, that is till I saw how fast they grow.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Yeah, well there are obviously thousands of pros capable of pruning or removing date palms without getting impaled by them, even after pruning thousands of them for decades.

Brush up on your pruning techniques and put away the stupid polesaws!

Nothing about palms are easy, and date palms will separate the men from the boys real quick in my experience here in SoCal.

A pole saw to prune a date palm practically guarantees a trip to the hospital.

All you need is a sharp midsize chainsaw like a 262 xp husky, saddle and gaffs with a steelcore lanyard and the right technique.

Fan palms kill far more climbers here than date palms do.

jomoco

Jon is right here, and cool pics of palms that are not canary dates!
Jeff
Hundreds of dates and only 2 incidents.
Jeff

 

[EdenT]

Hundreds of dates and only 2 incidents.
Jeff

Sorry to hear that, have you tried getting them pissed.

 

[treevet]

ya gotta get a little chuckle outta that one :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[outofmytree]

Ok so now Jeff and Jomoco want to prune Date palms in spurs using a rear handle saw? I would really like to see some pictures or a video because I cannot visualise a safe method of doing this. Please enlighten me.

This picture is the standard for "show" pruning here acheived with a pole saw or with a rear handle saw from a bucket. Note the collar left at the top to protect the frond petioles. How do you achieve the same result from spurs?

 

[jomoco]

No wonder SoCal trees scare all the wanna be arborists back to where they come from!

If the big eucs aren't enough, the dates at MCRD seal the deal.

You guys really crack me up sometimes!

jomoco

 

[jomoco]

We need Rich Magargal on this forum to teach proper palm pruning etiquette!

Hey Jeff, call Rich and get him to tutor these guys. Unlike me, he likes to teach.

jomoco

 

[outofmytree]

No wonder SoCal trees scare all the wanna be arborists back to where they come from!

If the big eucs aren't enough, the dates at MCRD seal the deal.

You guys really crack me up sometimes!

jomoco

Wanna be arborists?

I take it from this wisecrack reply that you have no pictures or videos of your recommended method? This is Commercial Climbing not the joke forum Jomoco. If you are going to put others at risk by suggesting a dangerous technique than have the grace to back it up with evidence or just say nothing at all.

 

[jomoco]

Ok so now Jeff and Jomoco want to prune Date palms in spurs using a rear handle saw? I would really like to see some pictures or a video because I cannot visualise a safe method of doing this. Please enlighten me.

This picture is the standard for "show" pruning here acheived with a pole saw or with a rear handle saw from a bucket. Note the collar left at the top to protect the frond petioles. How do you achieve the same result from spurs?

You call that a showcase example of date palm pruning with all that fruit left in the bloody tree?

jomoco

 

[outofmytree]

You call that a showcase example of date palm pruning with all that fruit left in the bloody tree?

jomoco

I picked the photograph to show the trunk finish and collar.

Verbal distractions like attacking evidence are a common technique employed by poorly equipped debaters. Once again you avoid a direct question.

You say it is safer to prune these palms with spurs, lanyard and belt. Please post visual evidence of the increased safety of such a technique. Anything less is an admission of failure to support your argument.