Palm Debris

Jeffrey Lovstrom

How long does it take for Palm fronds and debris to decompose?
Jeff

Therrin

In what conditions? Open to sunlight? Mixed with dirt?

Hot/cold/humid/dry climate?

(I really dont know the answer, but you may want to narrow down your criteria just a tad)

Apocalypsse

Good question, our chipper dont like fronds, it either goes through almost complete or gets clogged. How about outside in the elements on an open field?

Eric Frei

If you are talking about unchipped crap, a long bloody time!

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Garry Brockley

they dry out and last for years unless the termites get to them then not so long but they only eat the inside core and leave the husk.

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Apocalypsse

Rgr, bonfire it is.

Victor Lindsay

ooh...and they don't burn well eather, even dry.

Apocalypsse

Chip & sell the "mulch" then, people have bought it and not complained.

Bermy

Sorry, I have an exception...Bermuda palmetto (Sabal bermudana) burns like gasoline when they are dry!
We use them to start the BBQ...stuff three or four in the bottom, put the wood on top...apply match...whoosh, stand back!

In the winter we cut the stalks into 3" chips and use them for firestarters.

The old timers (1620') used to make a very alcoholic beverage from the sap called 'Bibi'...maybe that's why the Crown had to take over 'cause all the guys out looking for gold and trying to grow tobacco were sitting under the palms pissed...but they had not found and gold and tobacco didn't grow well so maybe they were just pissed off...

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Keep smiling, people will wonder what you are up to! (especially if you're gunning a chainsaw!)

Therrin

Yeah I dont think we have many of those palms out here....

Washy palms chip terribly. It shreds up into this massive springy heap, I havent decided whether it actually saves space or takes more of it up yet; though you can hop in on top of them and smoosh them down quite a bit (hop in the truck/trailer...not the chipper mind you).

Stacked fronds take forever to decay.

If its a wet/sunny climate they might not take as long. My buddy from school works at the waste management facility out here, I'll ask him about it. I know they take in greenwaste, but that they take anything having to do with palms to a different spot.