I have a 3 gallon sago palm that the top leaves are like frizzle yellow leaves. What do i use to correct this problem?
What is the best fertlizer for your sago palm?
deb, I have NEVER fertilized my sagos and they don't seem to miss it. One thing you might want to consider is the possibility of disease. I know the State of FL has had a severe infestation and sagos are dying by leaps and bounds over there, if not dying, many people are getting rid of them there because they don't want the hassle of fighting disease. If yours is a new plant, that maybe came from a FL grower, you might be in trouble.
On a more positive note, my sagos always look kinda sad from about Feb to March, like spring sickness, but snap out of it after the first flush of new leaves. To be safe, though, less water is better than too much water with your sagos.
I will have to come back with the name of the problem right now I can't remember, but it is usually fatal. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, let's all keep our fingers crossed that is is just spring sickness.
here are various DGers experience with this plant
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/53327/index.html
I had yellowing leaves on one of my sagos a couple of years ago, and sent a sample into Texas A&M Diagnostics Labs. It came back with "deficiency or toxicity" as the cause. I now use a palm fertilizer on it, and it seems to help. The other two sagos are fine without fertilizer, but they don't get as much sun. Yellowing leaves can also be a symptom of overwatering or underwatering - or poor drainage. Here is a great site that has lots of information about sagos. Continue to go to the next page; you will get to a "problems" and "solutions" area. http://www.junglemusic.net/cycadadvice/cycads-sago-palm.htm
Good luck!
CJ
deb741, are you talking about the small leaves right in the center of your sago palms or do you mean the leaves that used to be green leaves? Are the leaves dry?
The best fertilizer for sago palms is palm food which contains the micronutrients it needs. I use palm food on my containered citrus trees also and they do very well. A lot of fertilizer suppliers are now leaving out the micronutrients to save production expenses, but most palm food strill contains them.
This message was edited Apr 26, 2006 11:42 AM
When the new leaves first come out, they are paler and very fragile and kind of weird looking.
Calalily, I was thinking that maybe deb741's sago is having a flush of new leaves which do look weird as you have said.
Yes, I feel the leaves, and they are soft not like hard on the bottom. Is this normal for the leaves to feel soft? Im trying to look for the fertilzer Scotts premix with minors. They say this fertilzer is good for the sagos? Ive looked in Home depot and Lowes and no luck looking for this fertilzer. Any advice!!!!
Deb, yes they are soft. Be careful with them, they're easily damaged when until they "harden up". Can you buy palm or citrus fertilize at your HD or Lowe's? The palm fertilize is in a green bag and the citrus is in an orange bag.
Yes ,I believe they sell the palm fertilzer. Do you just sprinkle around the plant and add water, or just add the fertilzer with no water.
Sprinkle the fertilize and water in. If the fertilize is just left lying on top of the soil, the nitrogen evaporates and doesn't do any good.
Do not know if you have seen this link but they have some good information...
http://www.rhapisgardens.com/sagos/
hawken, nice link. Thanks for sharing it.