Queen Palm removal

[bgl]

OK, here's one more challenge for you guys. Received another e-mail from Rusty at Allen Press, and this came from a James J.

Cope & paste from that e-mail:

"I have 14 Queen Palms in my back yard, and need to remove 3 of them.  They are leaning against my tiled roof.  What is the best way to remove and kill the root-ball?  Looking to use a chemical treatment that will reduce the root-ball and not contaminate the soil…I want to replant with “Pigmy Palms”.  My irrigation backflow and electrical is too close to have it professionally removed...had contractors look at it.

Need your assistance;

James L. J."

So, who has some good ideas?

Bo-Göran

[MattyB]

I've removed a large unwanted palm in this manner:

Chainsaw the trunk down in pieces to a managable height so when you topple it, it's not gonna hurt anything when it falls.  Then, you don't have to dig up the entire rootball.  Just use digging bars, an axe and whatever other hand tools you can to cut it off at or just below the soil line.  This can be tedious but a lot less tedious than trying to dig out the entire rootball.  Then, if you wanna plant pigmy palms in the same spot you can just dig out the appropriate planting hole right into the rootball and plant on top.  The old roots will eventually decay and actually create lots of nutrients for the new palms root system.  This worked well for me.  Good luck.

[rozpalm]

I have never seen a tree that professionals can't remove. If the electrical and plumbing is such that its a problem why plant anything there? I would just do what Matt said.  It would help to see a picture.

[MattyB]

Good point.  4 dudes with shovels and digging bars can remove pretty much anything.  Remember, you don't need to dig up the whole thing it's a waste of time if you're just gonna plant on top of it again.

[DoomsDave]

Palm stumps can be tough and fibrous, as I found with my late Washie.

Queens are even tougher

Matty's method sounds like a winner, unless you can't bury the old stumps.

[_Keith]

Man, I can tell you guys aren't from the south.  Dynamite.  One stick ought to do it, properly positioned under the root ball via a small tunnel bored with a soil auger.  Presto, the root ball is up, the hole prepared for the next palm, and lots of mulch lying around to protect the roots of the next palm.

Another benefit is concurrency.  You can do several palms all at once with just a little extra wiring.

Keith  

PS - If there are noise restrictions in the neighborhood, wait till the 4th of July.  Set it off at midnight.