I don't know if the original batch were just immature (and then not allowed to grow longer by being confined in a bonsai pot), but sagos, if left in ideal conditions (e.g. planted in the ground in the right climate) become really huge, so if you want to keep it small (and succeeding leaves) you need to keep it in a smallish pot, keep the roots trimmed as with any bonsai, and make sure it gets a lot of strong sun (a.m. preferred) which will help to keep leaves smaller. I wouldn't cut the original ones, just keep an eye on the new ones (they shouldn't get as long as the ones you're worried about - and if you want to cut those, it's up to you). The thing is, only a couple of leaves grow annually, so you have to be extremely patient, and decide carefully about cutting anything (they could always be cut at some future time after all).

Merri, There is some useful discussion of Cycads (which is what a "sago palm" is) on a UBC Botanical Garden Forum -- see link below. Also, a photo would help, as I don't quite understand your description. PS. As you probably already know, Cycads are not palms at all -- they are a very ancient group of conifer plants. Also, being of tropical origin, they tend not to follow annual growing cycles, but rather grow when conditions are favourable (sunshine, soil nutrients, water, etc.). Otherwise they go dormant, sometimes for a long time, looking like a lost cause.... Here is a link that might be useful: Cycad discussion example from UBC forum

So how tall are the main stems themselves? If the stems are 3 feet or shorter, they shouldn't be too hard to move. Even if they were so large that you couldn't lift them out of the holes, if all that really is needed is that these plants need to be moved about 4 feet farther than they are now, I have dug a hole and a trench in between and just slid them over to the new location. They are easy to move as far as stress goes, it really comes down to how much are you, or you and your friends able to physically move. I wrote an article telling people how to transplant cycads, but they don't allow links like this on the forum, so, I'm sorry everyone, but I will copy it below (might be a little long) What is the best procedure to transplant my King Sago? Transplanting cycads in general is very easy and fairly risk free as long as you do the proper things. I prefer to remove the all the leaves before I start to move the plant. This makes it easy to work on the plant. If the root system is damaged a great deal when dig up, the leaves will not get as much water pumped into them, and the leaves can collapse and pull the apex apart, which could kill the plant. This doesn't always happen, and the plant can be moved without removing the leaves, but I feel it is the best way, just to make sure. The more leaves there are, and the more the roots are cut will determine how much there is a need for this. If you move the plant during any of the warm months, new leaves are usually produced within a month or two. Even though you can move a cycad any time during the year, the warm months are best. I try to dig at least 8 to 12 inches away from the trunk in all directions, and at least 12 to 18 inches below the ground, but it never hurts to keep as much of the root system as possible. It is not necessary to treat the roots that have been cut, but if any large roots that are more than an inch or two in diameter are cut, it can't hurt to apply a fungicide or sulfur powder to the cut area, or to seal the cut area with black tree paint. The most important thing to remember when moving a large cycad is to not damage the stem. Any cut area, or gouge caused by wrapping a chain around the stem can kill the plant. Damage may not be obvious at first and can take as long as 3 years for the plant to die. When moving a plant with a stem that exceeds 4 feet, the weight of the stem can cause it to bend, even though it may not be noticeable. It is advisable to use a splint when moving plants with stems that exceed 6 feet in length. By placing two boards on either side of the stem and tying them together, this can keep the stem from bending when being moved. Once you plant the cycad, you should not over water it, especially if you have removed the leaves. If the plant does not have leaves, it can't respirate, and does not lose very much moisture. This is why I remove the leaves to reduce shock. It is good to water in the plant at first, mainly to fill any air pockets in the soil. After that, only water lightly a couple of times a week until the new leaves are produced. Over watering cycads in general, and certainly when there are damaged roots, is the best way to cause rot that can kill the plant. It will not hurt to add a time release, or water soluble fertilizer when planting, but it is not recommended to add a strong granular fertilizer until the damaged roots heal. Transplanting a cycad is very easy, and I have made it sound more difficult than it really is, but it never hurts to cover any possible problems to ensure a successful transplant.

I have grown as many as 200 cycad species over the last 29 years. It would take me hours to write everything I can tell you on this subject. My cycad cultivation articles have been printed in 17 different journals all over the world, and for almost a decade of years, I have been the president of The Cycad Society which is international in scope. All parts of the cycad is poisonous, even the pollen, and the jelly that was mentioned that the cones can excrete sometimes. People eat cycad material all over the world. Anybody know why Cycas revoluta is called the " sago palm"? Sago, or sagu, is a starchy porridge type food that the old native people from Japan made from the stem material. Seeds of Dioons are used to make tamales, and tortillas in Mexico and Honduras. The Aborigines in Australia have eaten the seeds of Lepidozamias for 10s of centuries. There are pictures of Lepidozamia hopei plants with 40 foot stems, that are literally 2000 years old that have gouges on both sides of the stems going all the way to the top, which is used as a ladder to climb to the top to collect seeds. Coontie, the Zamia native here to Florida, is a Seminole name for the plant because they have made a starchy food out of the stems for 100s of years. They learned how to use them for food by the Caloosas, who were here first. Some people leach the toxins out, some people don't. As you have read, small animals die from eating cycad material. A 15 pound dog will usually die of liver and kidney failure within 48 hours, but they don't have to. A dog like a lab that weighs 90 pounds might get yellow eyes, white patches in the fur, and be really sick for a week, but with proper care, can come out of it and be perfectly fine and live a long time with no extra needed medicine or treatment. Since I talk about cycads to everyone I meet, my vet has heard all about them and she went out and researched a lot and has already saved several dogs from death. I don't know a lot about this subject, but she found some medicine that helps the animal have liver functions while the liver tries to get through the damage. Apparently it is amazing, but hardly any vets know about this and just assume there is no cure. A child is most likely not going to eat a sago seed. Those things are good sized and are rock hard. Zamia seeds would be a different story. You would Hebe to eat a lot of leaf material to be dangerous, and most children or animals won't want to eat that much material. I have designed and installed over 1400 landscapes, mostly in the past when I was younger. Any time there was a concern, I would put known male plants in their landscapes, so, no seeds. Even if you have a female plant, just cut the cone off once it is full size. On coonties, the cones come out in summer, grow until full size, and are usually receptive to pollination around Christmas. The cones will grow the seeds until the cone falls apart around the next November or December. So you have a long time period where all you do is cut the cone off. A revoluta female will become receptive in June and will fall apart around Christmas. Since the female Cycad " cone" is not a tight cone, but actually a cluster if sporaphylls, it is harder to remove, but all you do is remove each sporaphyll, one at a time, starting from the outside in. It may take a little extra effort, but it isn't a big deal. This will get us started anyway.