Shall I water sago palm after losing leaves?

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

Some people believe I'm good with plants. I can make orchids bloom and save discarded plants and make them thrive.
But every gardener meets its challenge. For me, it's a sago palm. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but all three beautiful plants that I bought at 3 different times, have slowly declined and died.

I've read everything I could find about letting the soil dry between waterings, checking the codex for firmness. The very last one I bought was a gorgeous one, with a very good crown of green leaves and nicely large codex. The soil drains and dries up in a good time too. Like I said, I did everything I could think of to make it happy. It lasted about 5 months on the balcony, I had to bring it in since we had snow in Vancouver. Now it's down to its last 4 leaves that are yellowing.
I know that it's a seasonal thing and new leaves need to be flushed, and so I have some hope it will make it, but how do I know if it's doing ok or - not? Shall I still water it sparingly after all leaves die? I don't have a garage to store it in cool temps till the spring time, I live in the apartment. So.. please help me to figure out how to save this one. I really love it!

Featured Answer

plantsman56

7 years ago

I think you're a good plant person with the wrong information. Your problem is you believed what you read on the internet. Most of the information that I see appears to be from people who are just repeating the wrong information they heard from someone else that they thought knew what they were talking about. I have heard what is happening to you at least 200 times. (I get 5 to 10 emails every single day from people asking me cycad questions). Let me guess, your plants leaves start to turn yellow then they die. Then it goes up to the top of the plant and dies. Does that sound about right? If you look at the big wholesale nurseries down here in Florida who are growing 10 acres of Sagos, most of them are watering Their sagos every single day during the summer time and every other day the rest of the time. On top of that, we get 4 inch rains in an hour multiple times during the week sometimes. We get 12 inches plus of rain each week during the summer time and they're just fine and they don't rot. Good draining soil is very important but most cycads don't want to be dry. It is not the same thing. The good bagged mix of Canadian peat, perlite, and sand would work real well. They don't need Cactus mix or orchid mix. If I were you I would repot the plant, I would incorporate a time release fertilizer like Nutricote or Osmocote, and water it once a week while it has no leaves, and water it real good at least twice a week once it starts pushing new leaves. For more information here is a website written by a person who has tested what he talks about in his articles many times before it goes in print. I would really read the fertilizer, water and soil articles specifically. Good luck with your plant. With the right information you should do fine.

http://cycadjungle.8m.com/cycadjungle/articles.html

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

Embothrium
7 years ago
These are house plants this far north - leaving them out in a pot on the balcony during winter is probably your entire problem.
liliyflower
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Thanks Embothrium, I'm not sure what you mean.
I didn't leave it on the balcony till the snow has hit, so there was no shocking effect. It's been back in the room for at least 1.5 months and doing well (And sorry, Vancouver is considered to be Canadian California, not like Toronto, we're just across the border from Seattle, that is zone 7-8)
If you read my post, I'm asking about two things - how do I know the plant is still doing well and - if I should continue watering it when it would lose its last 4 leaves (I tried complete water withdrawl with my other one and couldn't wake it up.)
Related Discussions
White Critters on Sago Palm
Q
Comments (8)
Scott, Whether it's Asian cycad scale, magnolia scale or mealy bugs, you are on the right track with what you have done. Bayer make a product called Tree and Shrub that will finish the job, but you will have to apply it about every 6 months if it is the Asian cycad scale. You don't spray it, you drench the plant with it, soak the roots. The best time is just when you see a new flush of growth. The chem is Imidicloprid, same thing you put on your dog or cat for fleas. I use 2 ounces in 5 gals of water. john
...See More
sago palm
Q
Comments (7)
I would make sure that container it's in has drainage holes, so when you water it water comes out of the bottom. Obviously you'll need a saucer to catch the water, but make sure if water accumulates in the saucer that you're dumping it out. I would also cut the leaves off of it. Not sure if it's true, but I heard that cutting off the leaves will force the plant to make a new flush of leaves. Warm conditions will also help, but I don't like my sagos to flush indoors because the new growth is ugly and stretched out. They look best in full sun, nice and compact. Make sure not to throw it in the trash if it doesn't put out new leaves in the near future. Most of the time I only get one new flush of leaves per year, so be patient.
...See More
my sago palm doesn look that good
Q
Comments (2)
There is always hope. I image you have been watering it as per instructions and keeping it away from hot radiators etc.. What zone are you? Once its warm enought and place it outside in direct sun and do not overwater or underwater. It will send out a whole new set of leaves from the middle center once its in the direct sun. They will almost look alien at first.
...See More
Sago Palm Stagnant
Q
Comments (11)
I have been growing offshoots of sago palm recently as a hobby. One thing that I learned from my experience is that you do not want to plant the trunk too low as to bury the new fronds. The first time I planted some bulbs(brown trunk area), I planted them too deep. The old fronds stayed green for years, yet no growth came. I had experimented with other sagos. I had a sago in thick almost clayish-like soil and the roots would not grow. They would just get little wart-like dots on the existing roots. I think sago palms are aerobic growing. They need as much exposure to the surface of the soil as possible. Grows best when only the roots are undergound. The entire bulb or trunk should be getting air. Well drained soil always, full sun, surrounding it with mulch to reserve moisture is a good way to make sure that palm grows. The link below is very important to me. It helped me realize many of my mistakes in propagating sago. It may help you if you want to grow one yourself instead of buying a new one. Here is a link that might be useful: How to grow them from pups-Sago
...See More
palmbob
7 years ago
What kind of soil do you have these in? Not had too many problems with this plant in the past, though have to admit have not had one as an indoor plant. They do survive pretty well in the cold, even in the snow as long as it warms up soon after. Buy if in poorly draining soil, that could be a big problem. Also needs TONS of light (do poorly in any dark areas). Outdoors and in the ground these can be watered constantly. But if sad enough to lose its leaves, I would certainly water very sparingly unless you have it in 'good soil' (soil that drains very fast). You can even grow these in pure pumice which is impossible to overwater then. What is the temperature you bring it in? It is cold and wet there? You could probably leave it on a balcony if you can keep it out of the rain all winter as long as temps don't get down much below freezing. We get down to 20F here every winter and mine do fine outdoors in the ground. One in the pot is doing well, too, but it's agains the house. These get rained on all winter (not that we get much rain here) but are growing in soil that is at least half pumice.
liliyflower
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you, Palmbob.

It's planted in orchid mix, so drains pretty fast. The temp is a regular apartment T for me, a human, to be comfortable. :) I'd say 77F.
The sago sits near the south facing window and behind the sheer curtain, next to my orchids that like the amount of sun they are getting and 10 of them are ready to bloom.
I've been watering it every weekend, together with my succulents, making sure the soil was completely dry.

Like I said, I don't know what else this thing wants. LOL.
liliyflower
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks Plantsman56 and everyone for taking time to share your thoughts and information. Much appreciated!

Shall I water sago palm after losing leaves?

plantsman56

Comments (6)

Embothrium

liliyflower
Original Author

Related Discussions

palmbob

liliyflower
Original Author

liliyflower
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Shall I water sago palm after losing leaves?

plantsman56

Comments (6)

Embothrium

liliyflowerOriginal Author

Related Discussions

palmbob

liliyflowerOriginal Author

liliyflowerOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

liliyflower
Original Author

liliyflower
Original Author

liliyflower
Original Author