Trimming dead trunks? On robellini palm

[Skip]

I have a robellini palm that is about a year old. There are 3 of the 5 trunks that are dead. Should I cut these off? What is the best way to do this?

[John2468]

Yes, you can cut them off at the base. It won’t harm the other trunks as its a single trunked palm.

[Johnny Palmseed]

You can use a Sawzall or similar. Or you can use a hand saw designed for cutting trees. Be careful not to hit the good trunks or you could lose those too. If these are large palms, I would suggest cutting in stages from the top. That way when you make the most important Final Cut, you won’t be struggling to hold the trunk as you are cutting.

[Skip]

No, it’s only a year old and I can probably cut them off with a pruner. Just wanted to make sure this would not harm the live trunks!

Edited March 15, 2024 by Skip

[PalmatierMeg]

Snip the dead ones off. The remaining pygmies will thank you for reduced competition. They would also beg you to separate them to plant/pot individually (I suggest pots until they are 2-3 years old). They are solitary palms that nurseries artificially clump and will compete for sun and nutrients until the weaker seedlings die. You can give them separate lives and keep more palms for the money you spent for a potful of unhappy, scraggly seedlings.

[Skip]

Thank you for your responses!