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Best way to tie Fronds of palms with sharp appendages?

bgifford

By bgifford
in COLD HARDY PALMS

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bgifford Enthusiast

bgifford

Posted
Posted

Hello everyone.

Hope everyone in the lower 48 is staying warm and has their palms comfy.

I was wondering if anyone has a great painless way to tie up fronds of a Washingtonia or Phoenix type of palm. You know.... the ones that eat you alive if you get to close to their teeth and thorns.

I was just wondering since I seem to struggle each year when it comes time to get them ready for winter.

I am not so much worried about the Phoenix yet as it's still easily manageable but with the Washy, it's up on a tall ladder territory and takes me several try's and with a few nice scratches and a couple drops of blood lost.

 

As always, I appreciate the help.

 

B

Allen Grand Master

Allen

Posted
Posted
  On 1/16/2024 at 8:38 PM, bgifford said:

Hello everyone.

Hope everyone in the lower 48 is staying warm and has their palms comfy.

I was wondering if anyone has a great painless way to tie up fronds of a Washingtonia or Phoenix type of palm. You know.... the ones that eat you alive if you get to close to their teeth and thorns.

I was just wondering since I seem to struggle each year when it comes time to get them ready for winter.

I am not so much worried about the Phoenix yet as it's still easily manageable but with the Washy, it's up on a tall ladder territory and takes me several try's and with a few nice scratches and a couple drops of blood lost.

As always, I appreciate the help.

Expand  

Do you have pictures of the Washy?  They make rose thorn gloves that go to elbows but might be hard to tie the rope with them.  Remember eye protection as well.  I use this tree tie rope which is easy to work with

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N2T6IKO?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@tntropics - 60+ In-ground 7A palms - (Sabal) minor(8 large + 27 seedling size, 3 dwarf),  brazoria(1) , birmingham(3), louisiana(4), palmetto (1),  (Trachycarpus) fortunei(7+), wagnerianus(2+),  Rhapidophyllum hystrix(7),  Blue Butia odorata (1), Serenoa repens (1) +Tons of tropical plants.  Recent Yearly Lows 4F, -6F, -1F, 12F, 11F, 18F, 16F, 3F, 3F, 6F, 3F, 1F, 16F, 17F, 6F, 8F

 

strongbad635 Enthusiast

strongbad635

Posted
Posted

Having just tied up my Washie for our current Houston cold event, I can offer these tips:

 

1.  Bring a friend.  It is WAY easier to position fronds for a good tie-up if you have a second (or even a third) set of hands.

2.  Good Gloves.  Get a thick, sturdy pair of gardening gloves for every set of hands touching those fronds.

3.  Long sleeves.  You're probably already wearing them if you are preparing for a cold event, but exposed arms are just asking to be nicked by a thorn.  Expose as little skin as possible on your body, including arms and legs.

3.  Get a sturdy ladder.  It requires a lot more contact with the frond stems (the thorny parts) if you can't get high enough.

4.  Start at the trunk.   If your palm has a trunk as mine does, continue the burlap up.  Tilt the fronds up one at a time, and immediately roll burlap or weed barrier fabric over them.

5.  Pick a direction and stick to it.  This is especially important for palmate fronds.  Choose whether you're going clockwise or counterclockwise, and stick to it as you fold the fronds over/under each other.  This will minimize edges sticking out.

6.  Don't be afraid to retry or even backtrack.  Sometimes your initial plan just isn't going to work out.  It's far better for you and your palm if you take time to go back and try a Plan B instead of doubling down on a plan that will be messy, incomplete, or harmful to the plant.

  • Like 1
SeanK Grand Master

SeanK

Posted
Posted

When I had a Washie here, I started wrapping in November. When temps were predicted to go below about 22°F, I would cut all leaves and wrap halfway up the spear. A robusta adds two dozen leaves a year starting in March here.

  • Like 1
bgifford Enthusiast

bgifford

Posted
  • Author
Posted

@strongbad635 Yes I really need to start getting someone to help with some of this stuff. Especially when putting up my Boxes and to tie up the fronds.

@Allen This is my taller Washy. It's now topping out at a little over 8 feet.  image.thumb.jpeg.cc80f6ecfbbddb7db4fac91adc3f82e4.jpeg

  • Like 2
  • Upvote 1
Allen Grand Master

Allen

Posted
Posted
  On 1/17/2024 at 5:25 PM, bgifford said:

@strongbad635 Yes I really need to start getting someone to help with some of this stuff. Especially when putting up my Boxes and to tie up the fronds.

@Allen This is my taller Washy. It's now topping out at a little over 8 feet.  image.thumb.jpeg.cc80f6ecfbbddb7db4fac91adc3f82e4.jpeg

Expand  

Nice palm! It always makes it easier to cut off older lower fronds on them when wrapping.  Lots of people cut off all or most of the fronds on washies for winter.  Just depends what you can fit in box I guess

  • Like 2

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@tntropics - 60+ In-ground 7A palms - (Sabal) minor(8 large + 27 seedling size, 3 dwarf),  brazoria(1) , birmingham(3), louisiana(4), palmetto (1),  (Trachycarpus) fortunei(7+), wagnerianus(2+),  Rhapidophyllum hystrix(7),  Blue Butia odorata (1), Serenoa repens (1) +Tons of tropical plants.  Recent Yearly Lows 4F, -6F, -1F, 12F, 11F, 18F, 16F, 3F, 3F, 6F, 3F, 1F, 16F, 17F, 6F, 8F

 

bgifford Enthusiast

bgifford

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks @Allen I did trim a lot of the lower fronds since they don't like to bed upwards anymore. It put on about 2ft in total height and the trunk got beefier.  I used just regular rope to tie them together this time. 

I will look into some easy to use and lightweight ratchet straps or the ones that you shared the link for.

Btw... Hope all of your uncovered Palms make it through this cold ok. It appears it was colder where you live that up here for some reason. It dropped down to 3.8F (not counting wind chill of course).

  • Like 2
WSimpson Mentor

WSimpson

Posted
Posted (edited)
  On 1/16/2024 at 8:38 PM, bgifford said:

Hello everyone.

Hope everyone in the lower 48 is staying warm and has their palms comfy.

I was wondering if anyone has a great painless way to tie up fronds of a Washingtonia or Phoenix type of palm. You know.... the ones that eat you alive if you get to close to their teeth and thorns.

I was just wondering since I seem to struggle each year when it comes time to get them ready for winter.

I am not so much worried about the Phoenix yet as it's still easily manageable but with the Washy, it's up on a tall ladder territory and takes me several try's and with a few nice scratches and a couple drops of blood lost.

 

As always, I appreciate the help.

 

B

Expand  

When protecting my Washy trunk from cold below 15F  ,  I used to leave the petioles and fronds on the tree and wedge small rags and clothes in and amongst the trunk and petioles close to the trunk  , and over the Xmas lights that I would use for supplemental heat  . I would be bleeding so badly doing that . Once I realized that the fronds and petioles were going to look like crap every year anyway , being only hardy to 24F ,  I just started cutting off the petioles  pretty much flush with the trunk . That saved tons of time and injuries to not be messing in those thorny teeth  . 

So I would say to save some pain prune off what you can .

Will

Edited by Will Simpson
  • Like 3
N8ALLRIGHT Proficient

N8ALLRIGHT

Posted
Posted
  On 1/17/2024 at 5:25 PM, bgifford said:

@strongbad635 Yes I really need to start getting someone to help with some of this stuff. Especially when putting up my Boxes and to tie up the fronds.

@Allen This is my taller Washy. It's now topping out at a little over 8 feet.  image.thumb.jpeg.cc80f6ecfbbddb7db4fac91adc3f82e4.jpeg

Expand  

Zone 6 looking BA

Well done :greenthumb:

  • Upvote 1

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