FAQ

Q1.  Will you take all the palm debris Away, from Canary Island Date Palms, Cocos Palms, Washingtonia Palms etc...?

All waste material is removed from site, this includes dead branches, pruned branches, seed pods, unopened seed pods, fallen fruit and trunk material.

Q2.  How do you prune Cocos palms or the other main types of palm trees?

We access the palm tree crown via two methods.  One method we use a ladder to access the crown of the palm, once here we move around the palm head with ropes and prune away dead branches or yellowing branches and then remove nuisance berries and seed pods.  Heavy seed bunches are lowered using ropes to avoid damages to surrounding structures.

The second method of pruning the palm is using our large sling shot. Our "Big Shot" sling shot is a 2 meter tall sling shot.  A weighted ball with a fine line attached is shot over the crown of the palm head, using our sling shot.  Then a heavier climbing line is attached to the fine line and pulled through the palm crown.  Using asenders our climbers are able to access the palm head without causing damages to the palm trunk ensuring palm health is maintained.

Q3.  How do you remove/chop down palm trees?

Cocos palms, Bangalow and Alexandra Palms, Cotton Palms, Cabbage Palms, Kentia palms and Canary Island Date Palms, can be removed using a number of methods. Each method has merits and advantages over others and is choosen according to site, location and palm species.

Method 1: The most popular method of dismantling a palm tree in small sections into a drop zone. A climber spikes up the trunk of the palm tree.  A drop zone is prepared beneath the palm, which incorporates rubber matts on the ground surrounded by a system of protection boards.  The leaves of the palm are cut and placed over the rubber matts as a bed to protect the ground from indentation.  Then the trunk of the tree is cut into small manageable sections and dropped into the prepared bed beneath the palm.  

Method 2: Felling the palm tree into a large backyard.  Generally a climber asends the tree, he/she attaches a climbing line to the top of the palm tree.  The palm leaves are reduced to avoid indentation into the yard when the palm tree is felled.  The climb desends the tree and cuts a directional felling scarf into the trunk.  The tree is felled into a cleared area and dismantled on the ground.

Method 3: Snatching a Palm Tree.  A technical method of palm tree removal.  This method is used when there is no drop zone beneath a palm tree.  The climber ascends the palm tree to the crown.  Each palm leaf is cut and lowered to the ground using ropes.  When the climber is ready to dismantle the trunk of the palm tree a false anchor is built at height using a system of slings and specialized rigging equipment.  Each section of trunk is rigged and lowered to the ground using ropes and lowering devices.  

Method 4:  "High Point Removal" of a palm tree.  This method of palm tree removal can be undertaken when a large tree or another palm is situated close to the palm being removed.  A heavy duty lowering line is located at a high point above the palm being removed.  A Sling and riggers block is used to position the lowering line in the high point above.  A friction device or method on applying friction to the lowering line is set up for controlled lowering of the palm in segments.  The lowering line is attached to the palm tree in manageable segments and cut by a arborist in the palm tree being removed.  This method of palm tree removal is very controlled and quick once set up.

Q.4 What parts of the Cocos Palm are removed when you prune?

Dead leaves and Yellow leaves

Green Bracts and Dead Bracts

Yellow Flowers Male and Female

Dead Seed Bunches and Live Seed Bunches

Leaf bases which are lightly adhering to the trunk

Fallen Fruit on the ground

Q.5.  How often do you prune Cocos Palms?

This is dependent on the health and vigor of individual trees.  Generally we prune Cocos palms every 12-18months.  

Q.6  Do Cocos Palm tree roots damage structures?  What else needs to be considered when determining the causes of damages to man made structures?

Cocos Palms can have a very large root ball.  The size and diameter of individual roots are limited.  Terminal growth is growth at the end of root tips, secondary growth is growth in diameter or girth of individual roots.  Cocos palm roots have limited secondary growth.  For example root diameters will rarely exceed 10mm and are more likely to fall in the 2-8mm range in diameter.  This does not mean Cocos palms will cause no damages to man-made structures, root pressures apply direct force from the root ball (which is the case with most Monocotyledons) and not secondary growth which is the case with other woody dicotyledon trees.  Consideration must also be given to the make up of the soil this can be determined through geotechnical tests. For example soils high in clay will have a tendancy to shrink when dry and expand when saturated. Also consideration must be given to the age and engineering of the damaged structure.  For example if a driveway is over 40yrs of age, had no reinforced steel or ground preparation and compaction prior to setting, natural cracks may appear which have nothing to do with nearby trees.  I recommend in instances where numerous trees are present onsite and damages have occurred, root DNA testing would identify the culprit tree and avoid guess work.

Q7.  In summer I have hundreds of flies in my backyard?

I regularly see numerous fallen bright orange berries beneath Cocos Palms, which attract flies and other vermin.  The guilty Cocos palm/palms may even be several houses distant but fly populations can reach high levels if the rotten berries are not regularly picked up. For this reason and trips and slips and the ability of the palm to spread we recommend removal of berry bunches before maturity.