We recommend pruning Fan Palms between June 21th and July 15th.   If they are trimmed too early, you will still get fruit stalks that will emerge and create a mess.  If you do not have a pool, or other landscape features that will suffer from the mess caused by their flowers and fruit, you can extend the July 15th date to whenever is convenient.  When trimmed at the appropriate time (after all stalks have emerged) they will not need to be trimmed again for a whole year.  It is best to trim your palms annually for both aesthetic and economic reasons.  Multiple years of growth provide a neglected look.  Also, neglected palms can be hazardous to climb.  The “skirt” (accumulation of old fronds hanging down) can become detached from the trunk, and fall onto and suffocate whoever attempts to climb the tree.  For this reason palms with three or more years of growth should never be climbed, and should be pruned using a bucket truck.  We can help with palms regardless of their current state.  Our availability is limited during this busy season, so call us now to receive your free quote, and to schedule your palm trimming.

Mexican Fan Palm (Washingtonia robusta)

Mexican fan palms are characterized by their tall, slender trunk.  They can reach heights in excess of 75 feet.  Palm trees that have not had the skins (portions of the petiole and/or leaf base) removed will have a rough looking trunk.   Although fan palms are more tolerant of drastic pruning we recommend pruning to a 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock position.  Leaving a sufficient number of fronds is necessary to maintain health and longevity.

California Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera)

California fan palms are very similar to the Mexican fan palms except they are greater in diameter and do not grow as tall.  The fronds and seed pods are also larger and heavier.  Consequently the cost to trim these fan palms will be more.

We recommend pruning them May 1 – June 4.  If they are trimmed before May  you will get new Date stalks that emerge and create a mess.  Trim them after early June and they become much more difficult.  This is due to the ripening of the fruit.  As the Date stalks become heavy with fruit it is much more difficult to remove them.  The ripe dates which fall to the ground, also leave what look like blood stains on sidewalks and other hardscape surfaces.  Due to the greatly increased difficulty of pruning them after this date, the price doubles.  Don’t delay – contact us today to schedule your Date Palm pruning, or if we can help with any of your other tree needs.

Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera)

This feather Palm is characterized by a rough trunk approximately 18 inches in diameter and grows to 60 feet high.  They are less tolerant of drastic pruning and should be left much fuller.  Many companies prune them incorrectly causing harm to both their aesthetics and health. The female variety, in the presence of pollen, produces profuse quantities of dates, which can be a huge nuisance as they ripen and fall.

Our speed and expertise will save you money when you have a tree that needs to be removed.

Some of the benefits of fall and winter pruning are:

1. It’s less stressful to have your trees trimmed during these cooler months. Trees that need more aggressive thinning or reduction can be safely pruned without worrying about sunburn from the intense summer sun.

2. The aesthetic benefits will last longer. Trees pruned during this time “hold” their pruned shape as their growth rate slows and they become more dormant in the cooler months.

3. Demand for tree services decrease in the fall and winter. If you’ve been putting off tree trimming or tree removal projects, now is the time to take advantage of lower pricing for these services.

4. Our turn-around time to schedule your job is shorter than at other times of the year.

5. Pine trees that are pruned in fall and early winter will ooze less sap, reducing the mess.

To take advantage of all of these benefits call us today. We will send out one of our Certified Arborists to see how we can protect and enhance your tree investment. We promise top quality tree care service at competitive prices.

If you have Elm, Ash, Bottle, Eucalyptus, Queen Palms and many other species of trees, the fall is a great time to have them fertilized.
While soil in the Phoenix area often has sufficient levels of essential plant nutrients such as iron, zinc and other trace nutrients, our soil pH is typically quite high. This makes these essential plant nutrients unavailable. Deep Root Fertilization provides a way for trees to receive the nutrients they need.

There are many kinds of fertilizers. We recommend and use an extended- release nitrogen that breaks down slowly and provides sustained plant nutrition over as long as nine months. This also prevents fertilizer burn, and reduces the labor costs of multiple applications. If you do not use a slow release fertilizer you will usually need to fertilize several times per year. Typically we recommend Root Feeding, or injecting fertilizer into the ground throughout the root system. The best time to do this is usually February – March. If your trees are struggling from nutrient deficiencies, it often makes sense to fertilize them again in the Fall. In our mild winter climate, trees experience a longer growing season than in colder climates. Fertilizing in the fall can lead to more vigorous root growth throughout the cooler months. This enables trees to get a better start on their spring growth.

So, if you have not fertilized your trees this year, or if you did not use a slow release fertilizer, or have concerns about the health of any of your trees, please call us to assess your trees and provide you with fertilization recommendations.

There is no charge for fertilization proposals and during the month of September we are offering 20% off all fertilization orders if you mention you read about this special on our website.