Palm tree tales..

The house we rented last Autumn came with 4 palm trees dug into holes in the concrete garden. It was so exciting for me as I have a love of palm trees. Something about them makes me smile and relax. I guess it symbolises summer and holidays...

The excitement was short lived as I realised, these belong to the landlord who lives behind us and he is wanting them looked after for the dates that will grow..

The landlord sent someone to trim the palm trees. I didn't realise that the branches are trimmed and that is what makes the trunk!

Here is the bark being trimmed..

I love how happily this guy sat in the hot sun and trimmed for hours with a single blade..

Panic over. I figured out how to water the trees but then the landlord a few months later came to pollinate the trees. Who new that date palms have to be hand pollinated!

Flowers I think from the male are grafted in to the female trees or maybe its the other way around!

 Right now the buds of what I hope will be dates are beginning to show..

It's been a long beautiful winter so the dates seem slow to grow but hopefully soon, we will have fresh dates for the landlord to enjoy!