I LIVE IN CHARLOTTE NC, I HAVE A 4-5 FOOT SAGO. I'VE BEEN TOLD YOU CAN USE EPSON SALT AS A FERTILIZER IN PLACE OF MAGNESIUM.
IS THIS TRUE, HOW MUCH DO I PUT AROUND THE SAGO?

RUSSELL
704-533-4014

Hello and welcome.
(First...I would advise you to remove your phone number from public view.)

It would be better to use a balance Palm fertilizer. Use the Palm fertilizer about once a month and try to keep lawn fertilizer away from the Sago.

Edit to add:
There is a very good article which you can download for free here:
http://info.cycadpalm.com/lear...

Epsomsalt is magnesium. Sago grows with no help in Calif- why would you need to fertilize it? Are you overwatering it?

Epsom Salt is Magnesium Sulfate. Magnesium is needed by plants in trace amounts. The key word there would be 'trace amounts'. It encourages growth by increasing chlorophyll production. But...

I have sago palms that were brought from Japan in the 1960's. I have never fertilized them. I think everyone is going a little crazy with the "must fertilize" thing. If the leaves are yellowing (and you aren't over watering), fertilize. Otherwise, it's fine.

And that goes for every other plant you own. I rarely fertilize and when I do, I dilute to half to quarter strength.

PS: Russell says he lives in North Carolina (not California). There are some incredible sago palms living on (and off) the coast of the Carolina's, Georgia and Florida that were planted 200 years ago.

fertilizer really shouldn't be necessary, but if you feel you must, then with greene...A balanced palm fertilizer should "do the trick/be enough".

I have a sago palm it's maybe 2-3 feet tall planted in a pot and it has never been transplanted. It needs to be transplanted now I think but I have read that your only suppose to do that in spring or late fall. Here it is late July with temperatures everyday of 95- 100 degrees. Will it hurt the palm if I replant it now does anyone know?

Jw

Why do you think it needs repotting?

You should definitely not re-pot your sago in the heat of July. They're very slow growers even in the middle of summer. It can wait until cool weather.

How about showing us a picture of the plant and pot?

My mother in law seems to think so and she has 5 of them. I'm not really sure how to tell if it does need repotting this is my first one . She gave it to me about a year ago and I'm not sure when it was put into the pot it's in.
It is blooming more leaves right now ( not sure if that correct terms for what it's doing). There is only one that hasn't bloomed all the way up yet.

Here is a picture of it, sorry it's not the best picture it's almost midnight here.

That pot is HUGE! Don't re-pot but do get it out of the sun.

Nope, I wouldn't re-pot that baby just now. The yellow down the middle of the leaves does look like a little bit of nutrient deficiency, though. But it might just be the flash picture making them look that way. The leaves should be solid, dark green.

What do you think, @Daisyl ?

I am new to owning a home and I don't really know too much about certain type of plants, and I really don't want to kill this one because it was a gift to celebrate my first son being born.

Yeah, the bottom leaves are a little yellow in spots. But I do have in full sun in the front of my house and I really think it might be the part of the house that gets most of the sun during the day.

It's a very young sago, so if you want to give it a little bit of fertilizer, get some pelleted, time-release that is formulated specifically for palms, and give it a very small amount. Maybe about 1/4 of what the package recommends. This is because the plant is in a pot, and quite young. The fert won't dissipate as much in a pot as it would if the plant was in the ground.

Would you fill in your profile, so that we will see whereabouts you are? Gives us more info about your climate to help answer your questions better. Just city/state/country would be great. See mine in the upper right corner?

What does it look like when it needs repotting for future reference?

Russell and Beth to Garden.org happy you found us. I only grow windmill palms because they are hardier than sago palms and can be planted in ground in my area. Russell I'm just down the road from you so they should do well for you also if you are looking for a palm to be planted in ground try the windmill palm. same thing with you Becky in zone 7b you will be able to grow it in ground just fine but not the Sago. You will need to constantly up pot the sago every few years and bring it in during winter. Also Sago palms kill and poison more dogs than any other plants in the south east. they also make many young kids sick every year. Every part of the plant is toxic, but the windmill palm is not.
http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyl...

It neds to be re-potted when the plant is so big and heavy that the whole thing tips over. It doesn't need fertilizer, it needs less sun.

Daisy