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Trimming your Phoenix Canariensis


iamjv

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This thread is meant to highlight how I go about trimming my Phoenix Canariensis (CIPD), while attempting to get that Pineapple look.

The first step that I take in trimming up my CIPD is to trim away the lower hanging fronds. I typically cut away enough to give the fronds a “fountain look”, I think this helps in getting that pineapple look that most people seems to like. From the shot below I'd trim away two or three rows of fronds, reevaluating the look as I go along.

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Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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I also trim the hardened leaflets on the remaining fronds so not to get pricked by them.

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Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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My tool for trimming the trunk is a light weight chainsaw, which has a shorter blade. A shorter blade is important for it gives you the ability to trim one frond base at a time, enabling you to better shape the palm trunk as you go. Note the untrimmed trunk in this shot.

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Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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You’ll want to start trimming from the top of the trunk, working your way down and around the trunk as you go. As you trim the trunk you’ll not that a lot of fibers are loosened up as well. You’ll need to pull these free so that they don’t continually choke up the chainsaw blade.

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Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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As you work your way down and around the palm trunk, the depth of your cuts should lessen. Reason being near the top of the trunk there is usually more frond base material to work with as well as the older frond bases are closer to the trunk itself (from previous trimmings). Always be mindful to not cut to close to the trunk itself.

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Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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A picture of the trunk freshly trimmed with all of the debris from the job.

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Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Clean up is simple with a bin for the trimmings. Of course you should also clean up your chainsaw, removing any fibers that have accumulated around the chain.

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Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Give the trunk a good washing with a hose and a strong stream of water. I like to do this not only for the ‘cleaner’ look it give my palm but also to wash away any contaminates that might have been left by the chainsaw.

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Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Detail shot of the freshly trimmed trunk, notice how near the bottom the cuts are at an inward angle. This helps the trunk achieve that pineapple look.

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Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Two final shots of the finished job. Hope this helped someone… Jv

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Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Dear Jv :)

thanks a lot for the step by step illustration of your trimming work on our favouraite palm !

And iam growing these babies in south india just to trim it in the californian way..i.e to make our CIDP look like a pineapple.

And its clear that you know to use the chainsaw & also have a steady hand... :greenthumb:

thanks for the visuals,

lots of love,

Kris :)

love conquers all..

43278.gif

.

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Thanks Kris. Glad you like the illustration. Have a great day. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Yeah getting ready for the meeting... hope you'll make it!

That palm was planted as a 5 gal palm in Feb 1998. If I had deeper soil, it'd be a lot bigger....

Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Nice work Jv!

I've found that my cordless reciprocating saw works really well for this type of job as well. Maybe a little less hang up about getting fibers in the chain portion of your saw. With the recprocating they just fall to the ground.

Looks good!

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Good stuff but the most important thing about trimming P. canariensis is to use a properly sterilized tool to avoid Fusarium Wilt which is equivilent to AIDS for canary's.

Dave Hughson

Carlsbad, Ca

1 mile from ocean

Zone 10b

Palm freaks are good peeps!!!!!

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Michael and Dave, thanks for your inputs, good info to know. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Do you need a chainsaw. Can't you do the same thing with a handsaw. I have a CIDP that is a little smaller than that one, maybe 8-10 ft tall, and I just saw the bases off with a hand saw. They come off real easy, and I can get them pretty close to the trunk, of course it would take a little longer.

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Thanks George... :)

Jim, yeah you could use a handsaw, I started using a chainsaw when I would go back to AZ and trim my dad's CIPD which had 14' of trunk... that was a bit much for a hand saw. After that, I started to enjoy the easy of being able to cut downward or upward, not to mention the ability to use the end of the chainsaw to trim off uneven pieces and such with ease. As for taking off the lower frond bases, I've seen it done both ways-leaving them on till they fall off themselves or trimming them with a saw. I prefer the latter method as it's easier to control the damage to the trunk, I've seen people try to rip the old bases off and pieces of the trunk came off with it... damaging the trunk forever. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Dear Jv :)

here is my chainsaw purschased recently,its a hitachi brand made in japan operating voltage is 230 volts.

i have used it on few dicot trees..it works like a charm.but have to pour in some lubricating oil in its tank for chain lubrication.since our voltage is 230 volts the extension cord need not be too heavy in guage.

since my CIDP's are all in big pots,i did not get a chance to use this tool on it.

but iam practising with it by cutting & clearing few trees now & then ! :lol:

here is a still of that equipment,i think its little bigger in size to the one you are using,i did not have much choice while buying it.since my requirement was that the machine should be a german or japanese make.And it should not be too heavy to carry it around the garden.

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Love,

Kris :)

love conquers all..

43278.gif

.

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Kris, once your CIDPs get big enough, that saw will work just fine... :) It might be the same size as the saw I have... but either way I am sure that will work well. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Looks great JV. When are you passing through South Louisiana. I have a job for you. Between Gustav and Ike, the only palm I may have left is my supersturdy CIDP, so I want it to be looking good, haha.

In my post I sometimes express "my" opinion. Warning, it may differ from "your" opinion. If so, please do not feel insulted, just state your own if you wish. Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or any other damages

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Thanks Matt!

Keith, I'll take a 'rain check' on swinging by... maybe after all the work is done.... :)

Let's hope Ike doesn't come your way!!!!

Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Dear Jv :)

thanks for the information,and my hands are itching in anticipation when to trim my CIDP's,to make it appear as beautiful as your CIPD. :)

love,

Kris :)

love conquers all..

43278.gif

.

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Good stuff but the most important thing about trimming P. canariensis is to use a properly sterilized tool to avoid Fusarium Wilt which is equivilent to AIDS for canary's.

Fusarium oxysporum....that's what struck two of my CIDP after I hired a trimming service some months ago, normally I try to avoid trimming healthy leaves but in this case they were hanging over the driveway :angry:

Diagnosis is quite simple, the lower leaves start dieing, one half of the leaf dies firstpost-37-1220980850_thumb.jpg and the petiole shows the path that the fungus takespost-37-1220980362_thumb.jpg.

There is no cure for this disease, removal and burning is all one can and must do, also no more CIDP planting in that particular spot... the fungus lives on!

Today we took them out, a JCB took care of it in one hour....adeus Phoenix canariensis, luckily they were two females so no more messy seeds that attract rodents and whatnot :mrlooney:

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Charles Wychgel

Algarve/Portugal

Sunset zone 24

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Dear Charles Wychgel,

iam very sorry to hear about those lovely well grown CIDP's fate !

but your information will be very useful for all other like me who are waiting to trim our phoenix palms..

And thanks for the visuals..

love,

Kris.

love conquers all..

43278.gif

.

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