Un-girdling last year’s date palms is so satisfying! When we transplant the date palm offshoots in Spring it’s a big shock to the newly separated young palm. They are cut away from the mother palm and lose the ability to feed off her root system and at the same time most of their own roots are also severed. We cut back the vegetation and crop the fronds (to balance the reduced root system uptake with the photosynthesis power of the fronds) and then the palm is tightly bound with natural fiber twine to protect and insulate the palm’s terminal bud or “heart” while it establishes new roots. About a year later when these shoots are flourishing often the “girdle” of twine is still intact and very tight. Though they “should” degrade on their own in the heat and sun exposure often they don’t. Snipping these and freeing the palms to burst open and grow is one of my very favorite things to do! #datepalms #datefarming #asmr #californiadates #medjooldates #californiafarmsandranches