Queen palms are a PITA

[JulesMaximus]

I just finished cutting dead fronds and fruit stalks off 3 queen palm trees in our yard. I probably have 200lbs of clippings and fruit stalks to dispose of.

 

[IronWing]

So don't trim them. Untrimmed palms look better in the long run.

 

[AlienCraft]

We have a palm that towers over the Maple in front. The blown off fronds that hang upside down in the Maple after a storm, look like that scene in Predator where they see their buddies hanging in the trees....
Then I go inside and realize The Predator LIVES THERE TOOO!!! Aieeeeeeee...

 

[JulesMaximus]

So don't trim them. Untrimmed palms look better in the long run.

No they don't and those fruit stalks produce a ton of berries that eventually fall off the tree as they ripen attracting rats and other pests. The dead fronds give these pests a place to live.

This gave me an excuse to go buy a new tool yesterday though, it is 7' pole with cutoff saw and clipper attached. This thing is a godsend, I can do most of the work from the ground without having to risk my neck climbing up a ladder.

It's not difficult to do this maintenance yourself if you have the right tools, it is just time consuming and of course you have to dispose of the waste.

Poorly cared for palm tree:

Well cared for palm tree:

 

[IronWing]

Untrimmed palms look much better.

 

[JulesMaximus]

These are the fruit stalks and they are heavy...probably around 30-40lbs each and each tree might have as many as 4 of these growing off of it at a time.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Untrimmed palms look much better.

Those are fan palms (or possibly old man palms...not sure of the name). Queen palms do not look like that when they are untrimmed.

 

[IronWing]

The fruit is edible and pretty.

 

[BoomerD]

Jules, I'm with you on this. Properly trimmed palm trees look much better than MOST untrimmed ones. (there are also a bazillion different species of palms...some need trimming, some don't.)
I spent about a year working as the crane operator for a tree service company. We took out MANY palm trees in the SF Bay area. I was surprised to find out about the rats that live in them...but many were nasty rat-infested things, growing in nice neighborhoods and parks.
I was also surprised at how fucking heavy palm trees are. The centers of them are like a woody sponge...full of water.

 

[gsellis]

Those are fan palms (or possibly old man palms...not sure of the name). Queen palms do not look like that when they are untrimmed.

Pot > Kettle. You mean like the well maintained 'coconut' palm you posted?

Hey, maybe UCSD has basketweaving as a major? (I know, they want green fronds).

I can only recommend a local "Green" organization. Some recycler in your area may take material for community composting. That might be your best route. The local county extension service probably knows who (or one of the master gardener volunteers.)

 

[JulesMaximus]

Pot > Kettle. You mean like the well maintained 'coconut' palm you posted?

Hey, maybe UCSD has basketweaving as a major? (I know, they want green fronds).

I can only recommend a local "Green" organization. Some recycler in your area may take material for community composting. That might be your best route. The local county extension service probably knows who (or one of the master gardener volunteers.)

I know the pics I posted were not queen palms, just examples of a poorly maintained palm vs a well trimmed palm tree...so fuck off.