I purchased two sago palms in 6-inch containers a few weeks ago. One had fronds or little fern-looking growths in the middle of the plant that were about the same height as the branches at the time. Now they are 12-14 inches taller than the branches and growing! What is the difference between the two plants? How tall will this part of the plant get? Can I prune them or will they turn into branches?
It could be one of two things. First, your palm may be flowering. This site will have more info for you on this: http://www.rhapisgardens.com/sagos/sagoseed.htm
Second, it could be due to poor lighting, which can cause new leaves to stretch out from the middle in search for more ligh. Here is more info on that...scroll down some for a picture: http://www.rhapisgardens.com/sagos/index.html
We have a large sago in our backyard. We need to remove it. It has several pups. Do these large sagos have roots like a tree? Are they hard to remove?
They hate to be moved, so it shouldn't be difficult to get rid of it. I would start by pruning it back and then digging it up, getting as much of the surrounding dirt as possible to ensure you have gotten the entire root ball and root system. You may also want to treat the are with Roundup to kill any leftove roots that may be present.
We rescued two sago palms from a friend's bed where the leaves are brown--we assume frost bite. Should the brown part be removed from the plants?
Yes, you can remove the brown fronds, as they will not grow back, but leave anything that is green alone.
We have a fairly large sago palm that is growing out of its pot. We really don't want it to get any bigger. Is it OK to root prune the palm and put it back in the same, shallow pot? The palm is about 10 years old and is a beautiful specimen. We keep it in the heated poolhouse in the winter; outdoors the rest of the year in Pasco, WA.
Remove the plant from the soil and wash the roots down with water. Then take a clean pair of shears or scissors and trim away the roots. Repot in clean, well-draining potting soil. This article should also help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen/prune-roots.htm
I have a couple of Sago Palms that I'm trying to keep from dying. One I have from when we lived in Florida, the other is one I bought at a local Walmart. We currently live in north Mississippi. Currently the Sagos are in pots with rocks and potting soil. We are starting to see the leaves yellowing. What would be the best soil to grow them in? Also, what type of fertilizer do you recommend?
Well-drained, sandy soil (like that for cactus should be sufficient). Use a balanced, standard fertilizer on it. Use a slow release type, and then you only need to fertilize 2-3 times a year.
Can you transplant the whole sago palm plant if they are very large, approximately 4 feet tall?
Sago palms do not like to be disturbed so any transplanting needs to be done with great care. Mature palms can be transplanted in early spring or late fall. Be sure to relocate the plant in a similar area, under the same or similar growing conditions--full sun, well-draining soil, etc. Include as much of the root system as possible when digging up and moving it. You may also want to consider trimming the plant back to prevent transplant shock. Here is an article that you may find helpful: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/learn-how-to-avoid-and-repair-transplant-shock-in-plants.htm
I have two plants and they have little shoots that come up around the bottoms. Can these be harvested and replanted as new plants? Also, how are they cut away from the main plant?
This article should help you. The section on the pups and removing them is what you need: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/sago-palm/prune-sago-palm.htm
I have seen sagos with this "branching". It is the seed that has fallen down into the crevices of the trimmed lower fronds. I have seen very old (and VERY expisive) sagos with several "branches" like this. If you can gently remove the new growth, before the roots burrow into the parent trunk, I would think they can grow on their own, provided they get the correct soil mix and fertilizing.