Palm Tree Trimmer Jobs

By Eric Hammer

If you are from the Northeastern United States, you probably have never heard of a palm tree trimmer. However, if you live down in the Sunbelt around Florida or in the Western part o the country, specifically places like California, Arizona and Nevada, palm tree trimmers are quite common and the job is a perfectly reasonable way to make a living.

Palm tree trimmers do exactly what the name implies - they trim palm trees. It's basically not a very different thing from tree trimmers of all kinds, including those who work all over the United States. Dead fronds need to be trimmed away in order to keep the trees healthy. In addition, it's important to trim palm trees simply because they look nicer when they have been trimmed.

You can usually find palm tree trimmer jobs in the Southern and Western United States as well as in several Mediterranean countries, including places like Spain, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus and Israel.

How Much Can You Make?

Most palm tree trimmers charge anywhere from $50-$100 per tree for doing this work. If you choose to work for a salary rather than on your own, expect to earn a little over minimum wage as a palm tree trimmer.

Ways to Make More | Related Opportunities | Tips

Remember that a palm tree trimmer is really just a specialized version of a tree trimmer or a gardener. Consider learning more about gardening in general if you want to work in this industry as the information will help you in the long run in becoming a palm tree trimmer.

It goes without saying as well that if you want to work as a palm tree trimmer; you'll need to live in areas where palm trees grow, so if you are in Minneapolis, you're probably going to want to move in order to find work like this.

Another interesting thing regarding palm trees, though the jobs are rare in this country, is harvesting a lulav. The lulav is a closed palm frond and they are harvested during the summer and early fall to sell to Orthodox Jews. The lulav (it's a Hebrew term meaning which literally means "branches of palm trees.") is used on the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which takes place sometime in the fall every year. Very few lulavs are harvested in the United States though. Most are grown and harvested in Egypt and Israel with some growing in Spain.

Qualifications / Requirements

You'll need to learn about gardening and tree trimming in general. You can generally take courses at your local community college to teach you about these things. Beyond that, there is generally no requirement that you be licensed, though you will want to work with a professional palm tree trimmer before you take on the job all on your own so you can learn the ropes.

First Steps

Start by taking some classes in tree trimming in general. Then, contact companies in your area that offer palm tree trimming services (obviously, if none are in your area and you really want to do this job, you'll have to move). Ask them what they are looking for in a candidate and if they have openings. It's best not to try to striking out on your own at first since you need to learn the ropes before you do this job.

Resources

Check out these helpful resources to find out more about becoming a palm tree trimmer:

eHow: How to Trim Palm Trees - A good introduction to what it means to be a palm tree trimmer.

Garden Guides: Tools for Trimming a Palm Tree - A guide to the tools of the trade.

My Jewish Learning: Lulav and Etrog - This is just a general introduction to what lulavs are and why they are important to Orthodox Jews.


If you liked this page please let others know with one of these...


Other Relevant Pages

Interesting Jobs Index

Outdoor Work That Pays


(The newsletter has been discontinued.)


Every Way to Make Money | Palm Tree Trimmer Jobs