Spiking Queen Palms...

[danbirch]

I know that spiking queen palms is typically not good on the trunk, but I'm wondering if you spike the dead fronds, just above the trunk (is that called the head?), wouldn't the spike marks fall off when the dead frond piece eventually falls off? or would it still leave permanent damage? It seems that it would be easier to use a ladder up to the dead fronds, then spike, and work all the way around the tree with spikes on the top part. OR, is there another way to work the top of the tree w/o spikes or having to move the ladder for support? Thanks!

 

[k5alive]

under 20' ill use a ladder anything taller a lift
dead fronds fall off easily, I don't think it'll be
smart to spike something that'll just fall off

 

[mcdc6]

You must mean the boots. The crown of the palm. I use spikes for positioning on the crown of the palm, only spiking the boots to get the needed traction for shaping. Its not spiking into the palm at all

 

[danbirch]

Yes, the boots. Thank you for the clarification! I thought the boots would hold on (I take off the easy ones, leave the strong ones on). Appreciated!

 

[beastmaster]

I have spiked a few really tall queens after climbing up a ladder 25, 32ft, but their rare that tall. It's not that hard to get a line over queen and king palms. I haven't spiked one in years. By what ever method you use to get to the top, ladder, srt, once your tip is secure you can pull yourself all the way into the crown if need be. Using the tip and your lanyard you can position your self easily all around the palm. I work off my knees like that, no spikes. I've done commercial jobs where there was 30 or 50 queen palms, working with other climbers who wore spikes, and I can do more palms or as many as they do not using spikes, and using a silky hand saw. Thats with every one using a ladder to access the palms.

 

[danbirch]

I have spiked a few really tall queens after climbing up a ladder 25, 32ft, but their rare that tall. It's not that hard to get a line over queen and king palms. I haven't spiked one in years. By what ever method you use to get to the top, ladder, srt, once your tip is secure you can pull yourself all the way into the crown if need be. Using the tip and your lanyard you can position your self easily all around the palm. I work off my knees like that, no spikes. I've done commercial jobs where there was 30 or 50 queen palms, working with other climbers who wore spikes, and I can do more palms or as many as they do not using spikes, and using a silky hand saw. Thats with every one using a ladder to access the palms.

Thanks, Beetmaster! Being new to this, I have some (probably dumb) questions. First, what do you mean by "securing your tip"? I'm unfamiliar with the term "tip". Also, It seems that when I toss a climb line over the crown, and srt up, the rope cuts it's way through the strings that hold the fronds upward (so they droop once cut). I've been trying not to cut them, and been considering other ways to get up there (possibly make a false crotch/friction saver just below the fronds, and srt from a pulley from there?).

One other thing; today I was pruning 2 queens, and I was using a line over one, and my lanyard (a ladder as well). When I went to remove the line, it was wayyy hard to get out, I had to go up and pull 1 end out, and over to the other side, then pull down hard on both just to retrieve the line. It was just wedged really hard in there. Do you ever get this problem? If so, how can it be prevented? Thanks!