During the cold southwestern season Palm trees start to experience winter freeze problems. Most notable are the fronds they start to turn a greyish or brown color. Unless you live in the South portions of Arizona and or California these trees will start to look bad, almost dead looking.
But do not fear unless they have a disease or infested by insects they will come back looking better than ever. But this will not happen until late spring arrives.
Many landscaping professionals like to trim the bad looking fronds. Usually the owner or landscaper professional are not sure when to trim.
It has been my experience not to trim...at least not during the months of January or February. Here is my reasoning. Keeping those bad looking fronds will help keep the inner part of your Palm tree from freezing temperatures they also help with wind and flying birds who like to nest inside. The new fronds sprout out right in the middle of the tree. They act as a blanket surrounding the trees.
Once the weather heats up is when you should consider trimming your Palm trees. If the fronds are not trimmed off at all they will eventually fall off with help from mother nature. It is best for the over health and growth your palm trees that you trim them as the years go by.
Always use Palm Tree food when fertilizing.
Paul Guzman
I live in Austin, Texas and we had a recent freeze lasting a few days. I believe it dipped into the upper teens but was mostly twenties and thirties. I have a well established palm tree, however, I don't know the exact type. It is a low, fan-type variety and supposedly sufficiently cold tolerant for this region. After the freeze all of the fronds turned a grey color. Do you think it is dead?
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Mona