What's the best and safest way to climb a palm tree in order to prune and/or remove coconuts?
Thanks in advance for any answers.

Reply to post by JMF, on December 11, 2001 at 13:55:23:

I take it, JMF, that you're not within the continental U.S.?

Yellowing palms, a bacterial epidemic hits all areas of the Carribean and necessitates sterilization of equipment moving from one tree to the next may make some respond to my suggestions that climbing spurs are what you need to get up there. Sure, they wound the tree but recovery in palms is quick - the vascular sections are more dispersed. Alternatives are ladder or bucket truck, but mature coconut palms give you little choice in how. Please watch for power lines - even dead frongs or seed stems will conduct current when they bridge a line, hell, the whole tree will act like copper, seen many tragic accidents with hurried climbers.

If you have a city nearby, a climber usually charges by the tree - most palm cleanings run from $25 to $50u.s. depending on how many trees you can give him/her to work with, etc.

I thought about training monkeys to do work like this, also ball and spanish moss removal. The ASPCA would freak out but I treat all animals with respect, I think someone should develope that idea, like sled dogs working for a living up north.

Reply to post by Reed, on December 11, 2001 at 13:55:23:

I read this somewhere for SRT on palms.

Run a bowline up to just dunder the fronds.

Ascender footlock up

Girth hitch slings on trunk for foot hold, and flip line in.

Work tree.

Tie throwline to bowline loop for retrival

decend

retrieve rope with throwline.

I've never climbed any palms myself.

Reply to post by JMF, on December 11, 2001 at 13:55:23:

Hello! I am looking at how to learn how to climb my own palm trees in my yard so I can trim their dead branches myself. I have approximately 25 trees and I cannot justify paying a fortune to keep the trees groomed. I am looking to learn how to climb these trees but need to know where to buy the proper belt and shoes to climb. Do you know anything that might help me learn this trade? Thanks!

John

Hi there,
I realize that this comes 4 years after you asked your question, and I hope that you find this. If not, maybe it can be of some help to anyone else with the same questions.

I'm not a lineman, but I've been pole climbing since I was about 15, and tree climbing since I was 4. I love to climb, and learning how to climb with pole spikes gives you the advantage on certain things.
And since a palm tree is very similar to a telephone pole, I naturally climb my trees to trim them. I would suggest getting a good pair of spikes, a good pair of boots, and a good belt rig and learning how to pole climb. My palms are about 25-30 feet high. I climb to about 20 feet and belt off then use an extension saw to trim. If you know or learn how to climb this way, you'll see that it's a terribly efficient and easy way to trim the palm tree. I can climb, trim, and descend a 25 foot tree in about 15 minutes total. It may take you longer if you've never climbed before. I've been doing this for about 9 years now, and I still climb for fun and recreation even when I don't have to trim the trees.

Here is a very good site to get the low-down on pole climbing: http://www.myinsulators.com/pole-climbing/

Good Luck!

-Michael
tigercanada@gmail.com

What time of the year should you trim palm trees in Arizona? I have heard that March is a good month as the dried out protect them, should there be a freeze during the winter.