Trimming Your Own Palm Tree? Follow These 5 Steps

Trimming a palm tree can be very dangerous. This is especially true if your palm tree is tall, wide or in a tight spot. Also, purchasing the appropriate tools can also be very costly. To get the job done right and safely, give your local experts a call. Otherwise, be sure to follow these steps:

Step 1: What to Keep in Mind Before Trimming your Tree

Only trim palm tree if your tree:

• Has dead fronds (leaves)
• Has hanging fruit or flowers
• Is blocking your view or view of cars
• Is a hazard to you, others or property

You only want to trim the tree when it needs it, otherwise you may damage it and prevent it from living to its fullest potential. Also, the best time to trim your palm tree is in Spring, right before their growth season!

Step 2: Equip yourself with the Proper Equipment

Equipment you will need to trim your palm tree:

• A sturdy extension ladder
• Safety glasses
• Durable gardening gloves
• If your tools are not sterilized, here is how to make a sterilization solution.
  • Mix 3 parts water and 1 part bleach.
  • Let the tools completely sit in the solution for 5 minutes before using.
• Blade sharpening equipment if your tools are not sharpened. Whetstone, oilstone or a bench grinder.
• 1 serrated knife IF you have fronds (leaves) that are less than 1 inch in diameter
• Large clippers or pruning shears for fronds that are larger than 1 inch in diameter
• Hand saw or pruning saw to remove thick fronds
• Chain saw to remove the thickest fronds.
  • Caution: Chain saws can be heavy and extremely difficult to handle, so make sure to read the safety manual that came with the equipment and be extremely careful.
• Large trash container to collect trash and debris

Step 3: Remove Only Dead or Damaged Fronds

Make sure to only remove the fronds that are dead or damaged. Removing fronds that are still healthy could damage the tree further.

Step 4: Gently Remove Loose Blades (petioles)

Only remove the petioles if they are easy to remove. If you feel some resistance or they are difficult to remove from the tree, leave them as is.

Step 5: Remove Anything Extra

Keep in mind that you only want to remove anything that has additionally grown on the tree including flowers, fruits or seeds. Pruning more than what has grown may affect the overall health of the tree.

Pro tip: Wait at least a whole year before trimming again. Over-trimming a tree can result in a loss of overall tree health, or even death based on the tissue of the bark being exposed to the sun. You want to make sure the tree looks lush, healthy and full of life!

Do palm trees need to be trimmed?

Yes, palm trees need to be trimmed at least once a year in Southern California. Palm trees need to be trimmed to keep them beautiful and healthy as well as to prevent any damage to persons or property.

How often do palm trees need to be trimmed?

Typically, palm trees should be trimmed no more than once or twice per year. Palm trees should be trimmed when the oldest fronds on the tree look dead and dry, or when they’ve turned brown. It’s important to not wait too long to trim since you’ll be at risk of your tree overgrowing.

To maintain that classic California-palm tree look, as well as keep your palm trees safe and healthy, it’s important to maintain and care for them regularly. Sometimes, seed sacks and dead palm tree fronds (leaves) require removal. Seed sacks and fonds get heavy, which stresses your palm tree and creates a hazard for anyone below them. Heavy seed sacks are also the common cause for a leaning, weak palm tree. 

How much does palm tree trimming cost?

On average, palm tree trimming service ranges from $80 to $1,200, sometimes, even more, depending on the factors listed below.

Palm tree trimming service cost will vary depending on:

• Location
• Number of palm trees
• Accessibility
• Height
• Width
• Current condition

To give you an idea of how much palm tree trimming costs, Supreme Tree Experts offers FREE estimates to everyone. You can also visit our special discounts page for any current promotions that are going on right now! We love to keep our community updated on any current coupons!

For a custom palm tree trimming service estimate based on your specific needs, or to find out about all of our service offerings, please give us a call or text at 877-787-7363. Feel free to fill out our contact form or give us a call to get in touch

Does palm tree trimming speed up tree growth?

Trimming your palm tree at the right time, as well as providing it with soil, fertilizer and care will result in normal growth. 

If you want your palm tree to grow faster, frequent trimming will not make it grow faster. Frequent palm tree trimming service might kill your palm tree. 

If you want to slow your palm tree growth, frequent trimming can kill it. Palm trees should be trimmed just once or twice a year. If your tree is too large, give us a call and we can reduce the crown.

Is it safe to trim my own palm trees?

Palms are a difficult tree to clean up since they’re very tall trees, which is why it’s highly recommended to call a licensed, insured and skilled professionals to do the job for you. Not only will hiring a professional to ensure your safety, but you won’t have to worry about how the job will turn out. You’ll be leaving it in the trusted hands of an expert in the industry. We use the proper industry-leading equipment that will provide safe and beautiful results.

What are some signs that my palm tree is dying?

When palm trees start to die, the process is usually not very noticeable and slow. Palm trees are evergreen, that means that they should never be brown or yellow. If you start to notice that your palm tree leaves (fronds) are no longer green, take action before it’s too late. 

How can I bring my palm tree back to life?

Is your palm tree starting to show some signs of dying? You can give us a call to help you bring your palm tree back to life or you can follow these steps.

Fail-proof steps to bring a palm tree back to life:

• Cut the top off

• • • This part can sound a bit crazy, but you have to get rid of parts that are dead, damaged or diseased to promote new, healthy regrowth. WARNING: Be 100% sure that the fronds you are cutting off are actually dead. If the top of your palm tree is dead, start by cutting off about 3-inches from the top of the trunk until you notice hard wood in the middle. If there is no hardwood, keep cutting until you find some. If you do not find hardwood, the palm tree is at a point of no revival. 

• Water regularly

• • • Palm trees need to be watered more in the summer than in the winter. Summer is their regrowth season. Pro tip: Add 30% sand to the soil to improve water drainage in case you over water. You can also look for an electronic soil moisture meter to make sure you’re watering it right. 

• Add high-quality fertilizer

• • When you go out to buy fertilizer, be sure to get the good stuff. Don’t even bother buying cheap fertilizer. 10 out of 10 times, cheap fertilizer does not work and sometimes it damages your palm trees.
  • Pro tip: Look for high-quality fertilizer that provides a “slow release”. This will prevent nutrients from being washed away when it rains or when you water your palm tree.
  • Caution: When you are adding the fertilizer, be sure that it is at the very least 2 feet away from the palm tree’s roots. Fertilizer that touches the roots can weakened the roots which will allow insects and disease to enter the tree.
  • Pro tip: Protect palm tree roots from fungi and bacteria by adding copper fungicide.

How can I keep my palm tree healthy?

When you are planting a palm tree or during your palm trees growing season it’s extremely recommended that you add palm tree food and fertilizer to encourage healthy growth. Palm trees require enough calcium, magnesium and iron. 

Palm tree growing season is spring and summer. Spring and summer are also the best times to plant a palm tree. 

Pro tip: Adding mulch to the base of the palm tree will help it retain its moisture during the warmer days of the year.

What palm trees are the most common in Southern California?

California has tons of palm tree species, here is a list of the most common.

• California Fan Palm (Yes! This one is a native species.)
• Mexican Fan Palms
• Mediterranean Fan Palms
• Date Palms
• Canary Palms
• King Palms
• Queen Palms
• Pygmy Date Palms
• Pindo Palms
• Kentia Palms