Hurricane season is just around the corner and preparing your palm trees is just as important as every other part of your home.   Protecting your palm tree from storm damage begins before hurricane season. Some things you can do from the start to increase the strength of your palm trees are:

• Fertilizing your palm tree three times a year, once every four months.
• Removing only brown fronds will help your palm tree stay in good condition. Leave the palm alone once the brown leaves are removed though!
• Partnering with a professional to ensure your palm doesn’t have nutrient deficiencies or diseases during the year will also keep your palm tree at its strongest. Below are DOs and DON’Ts for preparing your palm trees for hurricane season:

 

DON’T: Prune your palm tree

Pruning is not necessary to prepare your Palm tree for the harsh winds and weather that come with hurricanes. When pruning is necessary, it should be done by a professional. It’s important for palm trees to retain their fronds for two reasons:   Palms use their fronds as a resource for gathering their food and feeding themselves. Palm trees are not the most efficient at storing food for times of need, therefore, they rely on their leaves (fronds) to provide the necessary food for growth. Palm trees have few leaves compared to other trees to begin with, so it’s crucial for them to keep the leaves they already have.   Palm trees must also keep their trunks at the proper diameter. The size of the trunk is determined by how long a frond remains green and healthy. Early removal will weaken the trunk and potentially cause it to snap during high velocity winds. In addition, leaves will blow off your palm tree during a storm with strong winds, regardless of whether it was pruned.  

DO: Remove objects that may become projectiles

It is extremely important, however, to remove any coconuts growing on your palm tree before a storm hits. Coconuts can become deadly objects during strong winds.   Because palm trees damage your home during a hurricane, you want to make sure they stay as strong as possible.   Finally, if your palms do lose their fronds during a storm, it is critical that they be fertilized as soon as possible because the loss of many green fronds will induce a nutrient deficiency.   Palm Tree Dr. is South Florida’s leading palm tree expert.  Serving Florida and operating out of Pompano Beach since 1991, Palm Tree Doctor is the original palm specialist. We have ISA Certified Arborists on staff to serve you for all your palm diagnosis, palm treatment, and palm maintenance needs. The articles we share are items of interest and related to some questions we have answered in the past. If you have a question or would like to schedule an appointment please contact us at 954-946-3600.