Sago Palm...Is there any chance of a healty life?

I purchased a Sago Palm about 3 mo. ago. It was in an ugly black 6 to 8in. container. I put it in a 10 in more attractive container and yes I changed the soil to half Ferti-lome and half Cactus soil that contained fertilizer. I noticed the Fronds turning very yellow and panicked. I have rinsed the soil and moved it back into a 8in. container. The roots are very healthy and whitish/beige. I did some research tat recommended pruning the bottom fronds, another aid that if it is a very young plant this may kill it. I was thinking maybe it needs some magnesium (epsom salt) application but I'm really scared to even water it. I collect rain water for all my plants as my tap water contains chlorine and flouride. Any advice from anyone would be greatly appreciated. I am distruaght and cannot bring myself to trash it. The cone is very firm and the top fronds are still some hat green. Help to an over-zealous beginner plant collector and care giver!!!!;/

This message was edited Dec 19, 2011 12:59 PM

Hi BeniJ, I'm not sure of your zone or if your plant is growing outside or in doors so can give you general ideas to problems.

These plants are actually NOT palms at all but, Cycas related to the Ginko trees and are millions of years old. so if your looking this plant up look for Cycas.
They are very slow growing hence the reason they are more expensive the bigger the plant as they take a good few years to reach a size where the grower can offer them for sale and also the seeds take a long time to germinate.
As far as I know the sago palm grown in the palm house at Kew Gardens UK, this plant is over 200 years old and still thriving.
These plants normally thrive on neglect as in, forget to water for several weeks, they like a well drained soil but enriched with plenty humus, the woody heart don't like water sitting in the crown but water well only when the soil has dried out as they don't like to sit in wet soil hence the well draining soil if in a pot.

The yellowing of the leaves is either due to cool weather or over watering, I would suggest the yellow fronds (leaves) are cut off and to do this you need a very sharp knife like a bread knife, cut up-wards so that there is just a small stump left on the hard nut looking trunk, be carefully not to cut into the NUT or you my allow disease to enter or water that will cause rotting.
These plants can stand really cold conditions outside, but for safety I would throw a fleece (horticultural) over them at night if the temp really drops.

Indoors growing is good too but not too hot and dry, not close to a cooler or dry heat from radiators or fumed from boiler, just grow in a light airy place till summer when they can be placed outside again.

I don't think the NEW soil you gave the plant was a problem it was more likely over watering and it will settle down into the new pot in time.
To test if the plant requires water just stick your index finger into the soil at several places and if dry, water on the top of the soil, if still feels damp, leave off the watering and test a week later.
Hope this helps you out and you can relax and enjoy your new purchase.
Good luck, WeeNel.

Benij--

Sagos ARE old! 25+million years old!!! You are lucky if you will see one new frond a year
And--YOU are trying to influence the growth of your new plant in some new environment???
You have, inadvertently, committed the same crime many new gardeners do......

It is common for newly purchased plants to show signs of stress. Just adjusting to a new environment....
Different lighting---Different humidity levels---Different environment----AND THEN!
you go and repot the plant!!!! This is triple whammy on the plant!!!

The most common mistake new plant owners do is to IMMEDIATELY try to transplant the new plant.
The worst thing you could, possibly, do!!!! WHY!!!!! Why do people have a need to do this????

Let it be!!!! In the soil and pot you bought it in!!!! It is in the best situation it can be in!!!!
Like--It is at "home".....then you dig it up and move it to a new "home".....NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Read up on the Sago. See what it needs and does not need. Respect that you have a plant that
just may, alrady, be older than YOU! It has lived this long in the pot it s in. Let it be!!!!

With plants and gardening--the Mantra is P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E!!!!!!!

Just let thing be!!!!! when you buy a new plant!!!! The best thing you can do!!!!
All you need to pay attention to is lighting and watering....Learn about that!!! Google is awesome!!!!

Gita

Thank you both Gita and WeeNeel for responding to my question so fast! Yes I am so guilty of beginner mistakes. I however am learning so much. So far I have killed one heartleaf philedendron, a velvet- leaf one too. Neither did I do so well with a prayer plant. I have a total of 18 plants and have learned to try and research their environment and growth habit as well as their needs, however some info. given on line is contradictory so it really confuses me at times. I am thinking in terms of grow lights and soil test kits as I live in Michigan and off hand don't know my zone. The Sago is indoors and will remain there and yes it was initially near a heater, which is just under the Southern facing window(one of the 2 in my tiny apt). Maybe it is cruel of me to try to grow plants in such a small and limited enviornment...I don't know. I collect what I can when I can and do plan to move to a larger place with more accessible sunlight and windows.Thank you guys so much and as time goes on I will try to update you on how the Sago progresses.

Hi again BeniJ, you should never apologies for trying to grow anything that gives one pleasure and plants do give millions of people a feel good time.

I think you are confusing everyone on this site with people who were born professional plants men /women, wrong again, we all learned the same way as you are, trial and error, reading, asking questions and general common sense so, don't be so hard on yourself, keep up the indoor gardening and remember your green fingers WILL grow along with your new found knowledge as you go along, we are all a bit guilty of trying to make plants grow /flower or survive in conditions that is alien to the plants but we think are wonderful because we don't really know what the plants real needs are and that is what we and you have to learn as we go along. hope this helps your confidence a bit and just try to enjoy it. who knows before you know it you may have moved to a larger place and even able to grow outdoor stuff.
Good luck and take it a step at a time.
WeeNel.

Probably the most important thing you can do is learn how to water properly. Overwatering is probably the most common cause of problems with houseplants, and the symptoms you describe both for your Sago and for the plant you posted in your other thread could be caused by overwatering. This could have also been the problem with the plants that you mentioned above that you killed or had trouble with.

To figure out proper watering frequency, it can be helpful to stick your finger down a few inches into the soil. If it still feels wet, then you should hold off on watering. Many people just look at the surface of the soil and if it looks dry then they water, but the surface of the soil can look dry but just an inch or two down it can still be sopping wet. Or they water on a particular frequency (always once a week for example). Watering frequency will vary from plant to plant depending on the size of the plant, size of the pot, etc and even for the same plant it will be different in different seasons (will need more water in summer vs winter) and will change as the plant grows (as it gets more foliage and the roots take up more of the container, it will typically need to be watered a little more often). Also, make sure all your pots have drainage holes, and if you have them sitting in a tray/saucer to catch extra water, make sure you empty the tray after you finish watering. Otherwise the plant is basically sitting in water all the time which won't be good for the vast majority of plants.

cycas pretty much dont need water, all the fronds can be trimmed if browned and dead and as long as the nut has no damaj it is still alive.do not bury the nut- it needs to sit on top of the soil, and try not to handle it-they are poisonous, google cycas revoluta, or even on daves there is good info

there is a disease called frizzle top you need to check on for the sago as well...

Ecrane3 is 100% right. I've learned from my mistakes.