Things You'll Need:
- Pruning shears
- Leather gloves
- Safety goggles
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Garden trowel
- Shovel
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Step 1
Wear leather gloves, safety goggles and a long-sleeve shirt. Needle palms have very sharp needles that protect the crown. These needles are about six inches long and are dangerous. Needle palm stems and fans have sharp edges that can easily cut skin.
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Step 2
Prune yellowed, dead and dying stems. Reach in with the pruning shears close to the ground, but do not cut into the base of the plant. Place all pruned stems and fans in a pile, away from the needle palm.
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Step 3
Prune the flower and fruit stalks close to the ground but not into the base. This is the only pruning that can help the health of the needle palm. Flower and fruit stalks can take away nutrients from the rest of the plant.
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Step 4
When necessary to remove healthy growth, prune the stems only from the bottom of the plant. Healthy stems should only be removed if they have become an obstruction, such as near a walkway. The palm's growth will be slowed if more stems are removed than will grow in a year.
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Step 5
Identify any undesired sucker growth. Prune the suckers close to the parent plant without cutting into the base. The suckers can be pulled up or dug up with a garden trowel, depending on how old they are. If the suckers are firmly established, it may be necessary to use a shovel to dislodge the roots.
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Step 6
Remove everything that has been pruned and burn it or carry it to a landfill. This will help avoid plant diseases and pests.
