Once again, the annual slaughter of our palm trees is about to occur. I know people object to the seeds all over the ground, but the hurricane cuts are abominable! We lose our shade for the rest of the summer. The following is from an article given to me by one of the gardening specialists in the park.
"Unfortunately for Florida, the ignorant, harmful and totally unnecessary practice of trimming cabbage palms has become commonplace. Do not allow anyone to trim your palms. Trimming green fronds weakens the palm, making it susceptible to disease, pest infestation, and storm damage. The flower/fruit stalks should not be trimmed either as these are critical food sources for migrating songbirds and other wildlife. Dead (brown) stalks are important habitat for mosquito-eating bats and should be left as well. Cabbage palms are self-pruning - winds will remove fronds that are ready to go (and frond will not damage your home).
"Keep your palms strong and healthy. Avoid trimming unless there is a serious access or visibility problem. Plant palm tree where dropping fruit and fronds won't be a problem."
This is an article on recommended practices from the University of Florida extension office. We do not necessarily have to adopt ALL of their recommendations, but I do believe that Regency Cove should put some thought into the tree-trimming that will be occurring soon. Our goal is to retain the beauty of the community, while keeping it ecologically sound. THINK GREEN!
