Neighbor has Coconut Tree trimmed

[Gbarce]

The dogs were barking up a storm sometime last week.  They were barking up at a neighbor's tree.  I look up there and there was a man nestled in the  crown of a coconut tree chopping away

[Gbarce]

He was cutting off the coconuts which were in really big clusters already but I noticed that he cut off whole fronds too

This was the tree that he finished first

[Gbarce]

Finished tree on the left and the on-going tree on the right.

*  he was trimming those trees "the traditional way" without the use of a ladder, harness or any other safety equipment

[Al in Kona]

Perhaps he was cutting off some of the younger green leaves to use for weaving hats, mats or whatever.  I know that it is best to use the newer younger leaves for that purpose.  Is that a possibility?

[Kris]

Dear Al  

yes even that is done here in south india whenever any festivities are fast approaching.since all our celeberations need new fronds of coconut trees..

Dear Gene,any festival comming close in your city ?

love,

Kris  

[Walter John]

Ah............acceptable..........just.

[Gbarce]

Kris- Nah.  no festival.  And we live in the city so folks around here don't really get into the traditional stuff as much as people in the provinces do.

Al-Yeah people weave coconut leaves around here all the time.  They make hats, fans, animal and bird shapes etc... but they normally just cut off leaflets.  This guy looked like he was systematically thinning out the palm by chopping off entire palm fronds.  

I was just wondering if it harms the coconut tree or if in fact this is a beneficial practice.

Just wondering.

[Breadfruit Bill]

I don't think any removal of healthy green living tissue is ever benficial to a palm.  

I understand seed removal on a coconut like this one if a hurricane is emminent.  I have seen coconut trunks snap in half because of the wind, and I believe if the HEAVY seeds had been removed the tree would have had a better chance.

Green leaves = clorophyll

chlorophyll = energy

energy = growth, strength, and ability to fight predators (not of the human variety apparently) and disease.

[Kris]

(PiousPalms @ Jan. 05 2008,07:40)

QUOTE

energy = growth, strength, and ability to fight predators (not of the human variety apparently) and disease.

[Gbarce]

Will-  that's what I was thinking-- oh well good luck to them.