If it's being kept indoors, you can use miracle gro palm and citrus potting mix. And I agree, probably inconsistent or overwatering

Thanks for your response islandbreeze. It is indoors now. When the weather warms, it will go out onto my porch. How cold tolerant are they? From what I see online, they should be cold tolerant down to freezing. Don't know if that is true or not though.

Thats still a small guy. I would not let him see freezing weather. Larger ones that established in the ground can survive down to 15 F. Sago palms usually flush new fronds every year if placed outside for summer. Once the yellowing fronds are completely brown you can remove them.

If you go with bagged material, I'd go with the MG mix and mix in a bit of cactus mix just for the extra drainage. I use a combination of Canadian peat, course sand, and perlite, which you will find in those mixes. Too much peat is not good so getting some coarse material that doesn't hold extra moisture helped. If you can find a tube of Dynamite fertilizer at HD, a little of that will constantly feed you cycad for 6 months. This can be incorporated in the soil when you pot it.

@chadec - yes it is small. The fronds are about 15 in. long. I will probably keep it indoors until all chance of frost has passed.

@plantsman56 - I really appreciate the further information on planting medium. I want to give this fella a good chance to be 'happy'.

Thank you all for the input. If anyone else has any Sego information, I sure can use it.

Oh.....
Another thing I'm not sure about is its light requirement. I looked it up online and got a whole range of answers....everything from total shade to mostly sun. Hard to know which way to go with it.

........ This plant has been in my family for at least 6 years. First, as a gift from a friend to my mother, then after she passed, my daughter took it. That was 3 years ago and in all this time it just doesn't seem to be thriving. It is surviving, but not thriving. I hope to change that.

Thank you all again!

Linda

I had a Sego Palm in full sun at a previous house. It started getting yellow. The nursery told me to buy a product called "Cloud Cover." I sprayed it on, and it's like sunscreen for the leaves. It's biodegradable and organic also.

We have 3 big ones by our pool. They get some shade from some big pines nearby, but they are mostly in the sun.

Suzi

Cycas revoluta is a full sun plant, but it is very tolerant of less than perfect conditions. that is why people grow them all over the world. You can tell they need better light when they push new leaves while they are inside, and they are all elongated and sun stretched. A little shade gives it a better color, like just putting it on the east side of the house where the house blocks the hot afternoon sun. Once it has grown to be larger, like in a 7 gallon container +, you can tell by the length of the leaves on how much light they are getting. They look good when they are full and somewhat compact looking as opposed to looking sparse with stretched out leaves.

Thank you desertdance and planstman56!

Well, I repotted my ailing Sego this morning. It didn't have much of a root system at all. It only had a few roots, so I put it in a small pot for now. I ended up using 1/3 soilless potting medium, 1/3 perlite, and 1/3 course sand. Watered it well with fertilizer added. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Thank you all for your input!

Linda

This post was edited by shenue on Thu, Apr 3, 14 at 12:04

Good luck with your SAGO (Cycas revoluta). I personally use a slow release fertilizer. It's easier to remember to apply it every 3 months instead of weekly or similar for an water soluble fertilizer.

Mima

I agree with Mima on the fertilizer. Dynamite, at HD is good for 6 full months. Its the same formula as the Nutricote I am using. It will make all the difference in the world over time. Right now you want to get some new white roots on the plant. It will help for that too. Without a good bottom you can't get a good top.

You guys have been great in your responses to me. I thank you so very much! Hugs to you all.

Keep your fingers crossed for me....and my Sego. :-) I would really like for this plant to make it, in part because of the family history.

Everyone have a wonderful weekend.

Linda