Introduction to Palm Pruning Tools
Palm pruning tools are hand-operated tools used for removing dead, brown, dying palm fronts and harvesting palm bunches.
They are simple farm tools used for the maintenance of the palm tree. Pruning is a cultural activity that is mostly practiced in palm plantations. This cultural practice is carried out by palm owners either in the subsistence or commercial palm farms.
It has become one of the main cultural operations carried out in the oil palm plantation due to its influence in increasing the growth and fruiting.
Pruning of oil palm, if correctly performed by the right pruning tools can help to boost yield, improve farm sanitation, make harvesting easy and possible, help to maximize plant nutrient usage, decaying material help to increase soil fertility, create avenues for air circulation and sunlight penetration on the farm.
Using the right type of palm pruning tools will help reduce the hassle associated with palm plantation pruning.
Palm plantation tools like cutlass (bush knife), axe, and go to hell (long handle sickle), pruning saw, pole or palm trimming saw, small chain saw, pruning ladder, and the rollable pruning ladder.
These tools over the years have made pruning efficient and effective. It is advisable to frequently sharpen the palm pruning tools before use because palm fronts are usually hard and dangerous.
If the tools are sharp, once cutting can remove the front, this helps to create clean cutting to prevent pests and diseases from attacking the palm.
Palm Pruning Tools.
Palm trees have a vigorous growing ability that can produce two to three fronts nearly every month.
It is therefore ideal to remove the dead and weak fronts to create adequate opportunities for the healthy fronts to thrive. Some palm pruning tools include those enumerated by akvopedia .org are:
Cutlass (Bush knife)
The cutlass is the oldest palm pruning tool in the world. It is the most commonly used in gardens or plantations since it is light, and portable to carry from one location to another.
A cutlass has a long metal blade, which is about 50-56cm in length depending on the type, the thickness is 0.1cm. The handle is about 10.4cm, given an overall length of 66.4cm.
It is made of rubber, ceramics, or wooden handles. The handle is fixed to the blade with the aid of three nuts.
In developing countries, the cutlass is one the most frequently used tools in pruning palm trees until it has become hard to reach by hand.
This palm pruning tool is excellent for pruning young and mature plants. In some remote villages in West Africa and Nigeria particularly where oil palm is most practiced, the cutlass can be used in pruning and harvesting throughout the life cycle of the palm but this is possible with the aid of a ladder and climbing rope.
In commercial oil palm plantations, the cutlass is used in palm pruning, but only at the tender age of the plant.
Advantages of the Cutlass (Bush Knife) in Pruning.
The cutlass is the most frequently used farm tool in the pruning of palm front because it has portable, and efficient cutting due to the sharpened edge, it can be used to reduce the length of the palm front before cutting at the base, it helps to guarantee safety in the pruning of palm, it is very cheap to purchase, it helps to reduce injuries to the palm tree and above all, it is gender friendly.
Disadvantages of the Cutlass (Bush Knife) in Pruning.
The cutlass cannot be used for hard-reach palms, the use of the cutlass is energy-consuming, and if not properly sharpened, it provides a rough cut on the palm front which can attract beetles and other pests.
Go to Hell (Long Handle Sickle) in Pruning
The go-to hell is also called the long-hand sickle, it is the most commonly used farm tool for pruning palm after the cutlasses. The long handle sickle as the name is fondly called consists of a long metal or wooden handle that could be adjustable to suit the users’ height in pruning.
It has a long metal blade. The blade has two edges, the blunt edge and the sharp edge that provide efficient cutting.
The hook shape tools are used in both small and large palm plantations. It has gained popularity in the plantation industry due to its efficient cutting ability.
When pruning, the tool is stretched directly to the area that needs to be pruned, and the blade is directed to the space between the palm fronts and the palm tree.
Cutting is achieved by forcefully pulling down the instrument. These tools are effective in cutting palm fronts and the bunch in most cases.
Advantages of the Go to Hell (Long Handle Sickle)
The long-handle sickle is an excellent pruning tool for palm trees, it is efficient and effective for cutting down palm fronts with minimal effort, it is less time and energy-consuming in pruning, and can be used to cut a large number of palm fronts due to the sharp edge, it can be adjusted to suit various palm height, it is a safe method of pruning palm, it is very economical to purchase, it has no effects or shock to the palm tree, and it can also be used for both gender in the garden or the plantation.
The disadvantages of the Go to Hell (Long Handle Sickle).
The disadvantage of the tools is that they cannot be used for pruning young palms due to their handle, it is difficult to carry from one place to another, and due to their sharp nature, they can mistakenly cut vital fronts if not properly carried in the farm
Axe (Mini Axe)
This is another palm pruning tool used in the palm plantation or the garden. The axe exists in various sizes and weights. However, the mini axe is the most preferable in palm pruning. The axe is made up of a small, and thick metal blade.
The metal blade is thick toward the edge where the wood is fixed into the axe by forcefully pushing the handle into the axe hole.
The handle is usually very long which could be wooden or metal. Some of the mini axe has a pointed edge where it is driving into the wooden handle.
Advantages of the Axe in Pruning
An axe is an excellent tool for cutting down palm fronts during pruning, it is also used for removing rotten and dried oil palm fruit, as well as for cutting down unproductive palms from the plantation.
Disadvantages of the Axe in Pruning
There are some disadvantages associated with pruning with an axe. pruning with an axe is time and energy-consuming compared to using the cutlass, it is not suitable for pruning hard-to-reach palm trees, and if the axe head is not properly fixed, it can lead to serious injuries during pruning.
Pruning Saw
The pruning saw is a hand-operated tool used for pruning palm fronts. It is made of a long mental blade with various lengths depending on the manufacturers and the choice of the users.
The metal blade has pointed, sharp, and serrated teeth, and the pruning saw is slightly curved to provide excellent cutting.
Some pruning saws have handles that are systematically shaped for proper handling, and made of wood, ceramics, or plastic which the hands of the users can be perfectly used in holding the tools.
The tools contain two to three holes where nuts can be inserted to fasten the blade and the handle together.
Advantages of the Pruning Saw
The pruning saw is very suitable for cutting down palm fronts during pruning, it is used for pruning rotten and dried oil palm fruit, and for cutting down unproductive palms from the plantation.
Disadvantages of the Pruning saw
The pruning saw is time and energy-consuming and it cannot be used for pruning tall palm trees.
Palm Tree Trimmer or Pole Saw
The Palm tree trimmer or pole saw is a small garden or palm plantation tool that can be operated manually or electrically. The tool is an improvement over the pruning saw.
The tool is very suitable for pruning palm trees of various heights that are up to 10 ft. tall. The small power machine has a long stainless steel metal blade with a chain used for pruning.
The electrical pole saw has a battery that is rechargeable and can be used when necessary. The electrical pole saw is lightweight and can be carried from one location to another.
Advantages of the Palm Tree Trimmer or Pole Saw
The long palm tree trimmer or pole saw can be used for cutting tall palm fronts, it is convenient for cutting a large number of palms within a short time, and the electric saw is very effective and efficient in pruning palms.
Disadvantages of the Palm Tree Trimmer or Pole Saw
The disadvantage of the palm tree trimmer or pole saw is that it cannot be used for accurate cutting, and the power saw cannot be used in areas where electricity is not erratic.
Small or Mini Chain saws
The small Chain saws are power machines used for pruning and cutting unproductive palms. The machine could be electrical or battery-powered, lightweight, and easy to carry from one location to another.
These small power tools have stainless steel blades with a chain attached to aid cutting. The machine has a lever for turning it on and off and is suitable for large commercial palm plantations. The tool has a handle that can be held by just one hand.
The tools are a great option for palm pruning activity in large palm farms. The chain saw is gender friendly (i.e. can be used for both women and men) for cutting palm in the plantation or the garden.
Advantages of the Mini Chain Saw
The chain saw is an electrically powered machine suitable for pruning large hectares of palm plantations, particularly for commercial palm plantations. It is highly effective and efficient at pruning palms, it is less time and energy-consuming, and can be used for both men and women.
The disadvantages of the Mini Chain Saw
It is appropriate for pruning hard-to-reach palm fronts, the electric saw is difficult to use in areas where electricity is not erratic, and it is expensive to purchase compared to other palm pruning tools.
Pruning Ladder
The ladder is not a tool for pruning palm trees such as a cutlass, pole saw, and small chain saw. Rather, it is a supporting tool that is made of either wood or metal.
The ladder is used for climbing hard to reach palm trees during pruning. It is designed with two vertical poles with a set of small horizontal poles fixed together to aid climbing and descending.
There are different types of ladders, but the common thing similar in all the types of ladders is the climbing and descending pole. Some ladders are wall-supporting while others are self-supporting.
Rollable Pruning ladder
The rollable pruning ladder is an ancient type of ladder that is used when all the pruning tools have failed to provide required pruning opportunities.
It is particularly useful for tall palm plantations where the owners want to keep, to maximum profits instead of cutting and reseeding. Even today, In some developing countries such as Nigeria, the rollable ladder is still popular in pruning palm trees.
The rollable ladder requires special skills and training to master its usage.
Maintenances of the Oil Palm Pruning Tools
The palm pruning tools should be maintained to ensure their durability.
- Adhere strictly to the tools manufacturer guidelines.
- Pruning tools with sharp edges should be sharpened properly before use.
- Wash the pruning tools immediately after use.
- Disinfect pruning tools for palm trees with disinfected by inserting the pruning tools into the bow of water mixed with disinfectant such as Dettol’s or alcoholic base sanitizers during and after use.
- Store palm pruning tools in an area free from rainfall and wet areas.
- Power tools should be properly charged before use.
- Oil-moveable palm pruning tools before and after use to prevent friction.
- Do not leave palm pruning tools outside.
- Services and repairs pruning machines regularly.
FAQS
How do you prune palms?
The pruning of palms is vital for the success of the palm plantation. It is necessary to carry out pruning one or two times every year, it should be done immediately after fruiting season i.e. during the summer June – July.
Before pruning, it is very necessary to observe the palm to ascertain which palm needs pruning. It is important to abide by the 9 O’clock – 3 O’clock rule. Which states that any palm front whose front falls below 9 O’clock and 3 o’clock levels should be pruned out.
After observing the palm that falls below this level, the next step is to identify the dead, brown fronts, dying leaves, rotten fruits, and the next inflorescence area for fruiting oil palm.
Then prune out any of the dead and dying fronts. Ensure that they are neatly removed so as not to cause serious injuries to the palm trunk or the inflorescence or pruned above the threshold level.
The pruned-out palm front should be cut into small portions with the aid of a cutlass and packed around the boundary of the farm. It should not be left at the base of the palm tree to prevent injuries or burning during fire incidence.
What is the best thing to cut palm trees with?
The best palm pruning tools that should be used for pruning palm trees are the cutlass, the small chain saw for young palm trees, or the long handle sickle, and the palm trimmer saws are considered the best for trimming hard-to-reach palm trees.
What machine is used to trim tree branches?
The two machines that are required for pruning or trimming tree branches are the automatic or electric palm trimmer and the small chain saw.
In conclusion
When pruning palm trees, It is important to use the right palm pruning tools to prevent parasites and pathogens.
Some examples of palm pruning tools include cutlasses, pruning saws, mini axes, mini chain saws, pole saws, and ladders. The tools are cheap, affordable, and available to purchase at most shops.