Pretty or Ugly and Healthy

[_Keith]

I saw this ad in the "Guide for Real Florida Gardeners" which I picked up while vacationing there last week. I have to laugh as I read it, because all of the palms at the resort where I was staying looked exactly like the "Do not allow you Sabal to be trimmed like this" photo.

So what are your thoughts, on keeping your palms pretty or Ugly and Healthy.

[KennyRE317]

I chuckled

[Stevetoad]

i think when theyre trimmed up like the "BAD'' photo theyre pretty ugly. who likes that look anyways?

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

I saw a beautiful brahea edulis trimmed to three fronds in town. I would love to find the jerk who did that and read him the riot act. It's called palm mutilation, and it looks absolutely horrible! One of these days I may try to talk to the owner of the diner where this palm is at and tell him about proper palm maintenance.

I really hate it when they butcher the palms, it's done by arborists who know nothing about palms.

[DoomsDave]

They treat queens, washies, and phoenix that way, too. I've even seen kings (!!!!) trimmed that way.

[virtualpalm]

I really hate it when they butcher the palms, it's done by arborists who know nothing about palms.

Axel, I think your comment does a disservice to most arborists who actually do know something about palms (at least here in Florida). This practice is performed by unscrupulous people who are hired to do so by the owners of the commercial properties where the palms are growing. It is done solely to make the trimming costs more economical because the owners have to pay to trim them less often. No concern is given to the palms, only the "bottom line". No self-respecting arborist would do this for any amount of money.

[Trópico]

Did the "GOOD" palm get trimmed to take the picture of the "BAD" palm, or did it take about two years to produce this ad?

[John in Andalucia]

Are tree maintenance firms run by arborists? Probably not. They'll tell you they have insurance, skill, experience, the "right tools" etc., but no mention of academic training or qualifications. I doubt many of them could define "arboriculture".

Some are more than proud to demonstrate their skills..

[_Keith]

Licensed arborist usually have to only pass a state license test which is geared more towards safety with some basic tree trimming practice info. And like any other field, some are good and some are bad. They are jack of all trades usually and only a few are specialist. But, I am not demeaning the field, some are top notch experts, as well. As stated above, most commercial places want a good whack job right before vacation system, so they only have to deal with once a year when the masses aren't around.

[John in Andalucia]

"Licensed arborist usually have to only pass a state license test which is geared more towards safety with some basic tree trimming practice info."

To quote Roger Waters:

"It all makes perfect sense, expressed in dollars and cents.."

[Alberto]

Pretty or Ugly and Healthy?

The not trimmed looks pretty!

The trimmed looks terrible and not healthy!

[stygiana]

Pretty or Ugly and Healthy?

The not trimmed looks pretty!

The trimmed looks terrible and not healthy!

I am personnaly with you Alberto.

I hate to see how they trim severely the native CIDP here with the same chainsaw, transporting from one palm to another very serious pests such as Fusarium fungus. Besides, I repeat to many people here that this is not necessary, it’s even a phytosanitary issue and if they consider it is too big for a narrow avenue, then they’d rather remove them and plant them somewhere else and

replant smaller palms. These trimmings are so expensive and so many palms eventually die that doing it the right way would actually be more efficient not only esthetically but also economically speaking.

But I have the feeling I am tilting at windmills and preaching in the desert.

Palms give us so much (and could give us even more – if you consider their potential in agro-forestry). They deserve a better treatment.

Sebastian

[stygiana]

Pretty or Ugly and Healthy?

The not trimmed looks pretty!

The trimmed looks terrible and not healthy!

I am personnaly with you Alberto.

I hate to see how they trim severely the native CIDP here with the same chainsaw, transporting from one palm to another very serious pests such as Fusarium fungus. Besides, I repeat to many people here that this is not necessary, it’s even a phytosanitary issue and if they consider it is too big for a narrow avenue, then they’d rather remove them and plant them somewhere else and replant smaller palms. These trimmings are so expensive and so many palms eventually die that doing it the right way would actually be more efficient not only esthetically but also economically speaking.

But I have the feeling I am tilting at windmills and preaching in the desert.

Palms give us so much (and could give us even more – if you consider their potential in agro-forestry). They deserve a better treatment.

Sebastian

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

I really hate it when they butcher the palms, it's done by arborists who know nothing about palms.

Axel, I think your comment does a disservice to most arborists who actually do know something about palms (at least here in Florida). This practice is performed by unscrupulous people who are hired to do so by the owners of the commercial properties where the palms are growing. It is done solely to make the trimming costs more economical because the owners have to pay to trim them less often. No concern is given to the palms, only the "bottom line". No self-respecting arborist would do this for any amount of money.

Since California doesn't require any arborist certification, the many arborists who don't have a clue about palms are doing the few palm savvy arborists the disservice. Me speaking out the truth does the consumer a favor. Buyer beware: just because someone has a chainsaw, calls himself an arborist and knows how to climb trees and safely cut branches does not assure trees and palms don't get butchered.

[KennyRE317]

Licensed arborist usually have to only pass a state license test which is geared more towards safety with some basic tree trimming practice info. And like any other field, some are good and some are bad. They are jack of all trades usually and only a few are specialist. But, I am not demeaning the field, some are top notch experts, as well. As stated above, most commercial places want a good whack job right before vacation system, so they only have to deal with once a year when the masses aren't around.

Pretty much

[Kostas]

Hate a trimmed look too and its certainly not healthy for the palms. Used to see a lot of that on Phoenix canariensis which definitely weakened them and made them ugly but as i am seeing less and less P. canariensis here due to them being exterminated by Rhyncophorus ferrugineus,the ones i see are usually better cared for and not severely pruned as their owners care for them and have to pay and protect them monthly from the weevils to keep them alive!

Personally,i never trim any living tissue of my palms,even dying tissues. I prefer to leave everything be and the dead leafs to fall on their own and only if the dead leafs are in the way do i cut them. If live leafs are in the way,i simply support them with something or tie away the offending leafs so that a walkway used by others as well,remains open. None complains with this solution and no palm is injured

[turfpro01]

A local shopping center was built with a few dozen 20' date palms that where professionally trimmed with the diamond cuts on the trunks. Very nice looking palms. A big tree company in town started cutting them down a few times a year to just a coupe fronds, and then they tried to cut the trunk and went in several inchs deeper then originally trimmed, They looks so bad Id just scrap them, They cant be fixed. My friends a arborist and went to court over the trim job and I was told the judge ruled what they did ,didn't kill the trees and they didn't have to replace them. Ill try and pics.