Gardening Methods

i have moved into a new home with a beautiful palm tree in the garden?

could anyone tell me the best way to maintain it. there are two stray tree like shoots sprouting from amid the branches and im not sure if i should cut them back. a lot of the palmshoots on the underside have browned , any help on what to do would be greatly appreciated thanks

The shoots could be the flower stalks of the palm – is there any branching or bud development on them? If so, don’t cut until the flower/fruit cycle is complete (it will dry out and turn brown – cut it then).

If in fact it is a sago, (a cycad, not a true palm) the browning or yellowing shoots could indicate a manganese deficiency, which is quite common. You can get a liquid manganese concentrate and soak the foliage as well as the root zone. I’ve done that and then cut back all the fronds to the base (wait 1 week after final application so it can absorb the magnesium) – it looks bald and dead for a while but will soon set out healthy new growth to replace the old.

How to Prune & Care for Trees & Shrubs : How to Create Compost for your Home Garden