Sky is Falling at least coconuts are

[Crownshafter]

What happens when coconut palms are just too tall to cut down the coconuts anymore ? I am approaching that point. I cut a strand down that was on the left side of the tree and you know what ? Those things are heavy. It came crashing down destroying anything in it path, tore off 3 large fan palm fronds and smooshed a hibiscus bush. The strand on the front side of the tree will no doubt if cut come crashing down on a sprinkler head that is on a 3 foot riser below the tree. So the question is..is there anything wrong with just leaving them up there till they fall off naturally ?

[FRITO]

Nice palm! Wish I had that problem of figuring out what to do with coconuts. I actually love coco water and would wait for them to fall naturally so I can take advantage of the water when its ripe.

Possible clear a small area around it if you dont want other palms damaged, or if you want to get rid of them prematurely what about pulling up one of the heay duty brute garbage cans or a sturdy wheelbarrow and clipping it with a pole saw on ladder and let them crash down into the catchment system.

Just my ideas....

[Crownshafter]

Nice palm! Wish I had that problem of figuring out what to do with coconuts. I actually love coco water and would wait for them to fall naturally so I can take advantage of the water when its ripe.

Possible clear a small area around it if you dont want other palms damaged, or if you want to get rid of them prematurely what about pulling up one of the heay duty brute garbage cans or a sturdy wheelbarrow and clipping it with a pole saw on ladder and let them crash down into the catchment system.

Just my ideas....

Thanks you gave me an idea. I can put a heavy duty trashcan over the sprinkler which rises 4 feet off the ground beneath the tree to keep the coconuts from smashing it. wont be surprised if trashcan splits with a direct hit.

[Kris]

Dear Joe

even we had few here at my residence in chennai_india.but we had to cut them down since it was breaking the car windscreens of neighbours and we had to compensate for the damage...

but you have a choice either cut all the coconuts when they are ready to fall...and cut the fronds as they do with cidps..but believe me once it becomes too tall.it difficult to find even climbers to trim it.that is when it become real problematic on a nice stormy day...whatever is in their near proximity gets damaged or crushed..

And i never advocate cocos nucifera & royal palms for house gardens !

And by the way that glass structure with dull black aluminium frame seen in your still looks fentastic,and your coconut tree looks dam healthy

lots of love,

Kris

[Crownshafter]

Dear Joe

even we had few here at my residence in chennai_india.but we had to cut them down since it was breaking the car windscreens of neighbours and we had to compensate for the damage...

but you have a choice either cut all the coconuts when they are ready to fall...and cut the fronds as they do with cidps..but believe me once it becomes too tall.it difficult to find even climbers to trim it.that is when it become real problematic on a nice stormy day...whatever is in their near proximity gets damaged or crushed..

And i never advocate cocos nucifera & royal palms for house gardens !

And by the way that glass structure with dull black aluminum frame seen in your still looks fentastic,and your coconut tree looks dam healthy

lots of love,

Kris

Hi Kris,

That aluminum cage is actually screened in not glass. Very common in Florida to keep out the mosquitoes. Yeah, if we are in the path of an approaching tropical storm or hurricane I am cutting them down no matter what they fall on below, or they will be flying through that screened cage and right at my house like missles.

I wonder if it's bad to cut down the coconuts prematurely when they are the size of a baseball.

Joe

[TikiRick]

Joe,

I have some tall coconuts and I hire a tree guy at least twice a year that climbs a tall ladder to keep the coconuts from developing into mature nuts. Mine hangs right over my pool deck, so the last thing I need is those huge seeds falling to kill someone. There ARE guys who will do this...you just have to stay on top of it before it gets out of hand. Don't let anyone climb it with cleated shoes or spikes on your coconut. They may tell you that it's okay...but it is not. Mine climbs with a harness and tall ladder and drops the coconuts with such precision that it is amazing. He doesn't harm a single plant below. Sometimes, he will set up a large trash can (metal) and toss the coconuts into it form the top of the tree. There is no problem cutting them off before they mature. It makes the tree less wind prone and top heavy should a storm approach. In my opinion, it even looks better 'cleaner' than with tons of heavy seeds hanging. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THOSE COCONTUS!!

[Crownshafter]

Joe,

I have some tall coconuts and I hire a tree guy at least twice a year that climbs a tall ladder to keep the coconuts from developing into mature nuts. Mine hangs right over my pool deck, so the last thing I need is those huge seeds falling to kill someone. There ARE guys who will do this...you just have to stay on top of it before it gets out of hand. Don't let anyone climb it with cleated shoes or spikes on your coconut. They may tell you that it's okay...but it is not. Mine climbs with a harness and tall ladder and drops the coconuts with such precision that it is amazing. He doesn't harm a single plant below. Sometimes, he will set up a large trash can (metal) and toss the coconuts into it form the top of the tree. There is no problem cutting them off before they mature. It makes the tree less wind prone and top heavy should a storm approach. In my opinion, it even looks better 'cleaner' than with tons of heavy seeds hanging. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THOSE COCONTUS!!

Great info thanks. Sooooo do I look up "tree guy" in phone book ? I guess I can pay the landscapers extra to do this. I live in a gated communnity and 1 landscape company handles all the houses. How much would be reasonable to pay someone for this job ? I only have 1 tree.

Joe

[TikiRick]

One coconut tree = $50-60 to trim it up. Make certain that they even cut out the developing spathes....because in 2 weeks you will have developing coconuts too. Ask around town who trims up tall palms.....

[amazondk]

I had some tall coconuts at my house in Fort Lauderdale. I eventually gave up and just let them fall. Fortunately they were not in a spot to hit much except my bromeliads. They can also do some good damage in a hurricane. Around here getting coconuts is a lot cheaper. With 10 dollars and a guy with a rope around his feet and a machete in his mouth they come down real fast. It is better to cut them down before they fall for the water normally. The water makes great ice cubes to mix with certain beverages on a hot day.

dk

[fiji jim]

They are a real nuisance here. Too many old ones growing in bad locations and likely to fall in the next cyclone and do real damage or just continually do relatively small damage around their perimeters.

I cut down more than 60 old tall coconuts when I cleared our property for the nursery/garden but wish that I had felled everyone now.

All I will plant in that type are the dwarfs and still they are messy, high maintenance littering pests except for the boo.

Now those that are in difficult locations to fell as they will do too much destruction below; I drill a hole and poor poison and they defoliate fast and after a couple of years they start to fall down from the top in sections as they rot. That does little damage and eventually they are gone and you get some good compost from them.

Last week a school kid was killed here when a nut fell on him in the school playground. So here they are seen as big weeds unless on a plantation and being famed for copra.

Jim

[PalmGuyWC]

I guess you guys that can grow coconuts should know you are makeing many of us drool. I wish I had to worry about falling coconuts. They are still the icon of the tropics.

Dick

[Wai`anae Steve]

Make sure the trimmers clean the saw from the last job. I seem to remember a thread about trimmers moving disease from tree to tree like that.

[_Keith]

Make sure the trimmers clean the saw from the last job. I seem to remember a thread about trimmers moving disease from tree to tree like that.

No worry. A little LY will take care of that Coconut problem in no time.

[Kris]

By the way those who get killed by coconut strike in their head,are supposed to go straight to heaven...that's what guys here think ? but i feel coconuts & royal palms are not fit to be grown for small house & residence where kids play in the garden...

love,

Kris

By the way the nuts can be removed as they are growing big,no problem with that...

[TikiRick]

Killing any coconut is against my religion, I am sorry. To hear of someone intentially poisoning a coconut to kill it is beyond my comprehension. I think we should eliminate cars since so many people are killed in them/by them! If I had a coconut grove I would be in heaven.

I agree....it is the COCONUT that most people in the world associate with the tropics.

[Crownshafter]

Ok I grew a pair and spent 2 hours in the Florida heat cutting these down. Probably the last time I can do it even with a ladder and a pole saw. I was pushing the limits. Perhaps Frawn-mower can buy me a bigger ladder. Fiji Jim, So where do I buy the poison for this tree ?