Question
QUESTION: I have a 14-year old sago palm that does not appear to be growing new leaves.  For the past two or three years, instead of putting out a frond it grows a green cone and then the cone dies without new leaves. What is the problem?
Thanks.

ANSWER: Dear mobysal,

The last person who wrote to me about a sago palm had almost the opposite "problem" - lots of green unidentifiable shoots growing from the cone but what a shame that yours is not producing any new leaves.

Does it still have old leaves?

Have you checked to see if it is pot bound?  If so then repot it in a slightly larger pot using fresh potting compost to fill up the gaps.

How often are you watering it?  The compost needs to be kept moist but not waterlogged - the roots do not like to sit in water so, say half an hour after watering you should throw away any water that remains in the tray.  Alternatively has it been overwatered and the roots are rotting?  If they are brown and mushy then you probably won't be able to save the plant but if some of the roots are still white then you could cut off the brown ones, let the root ball dry out and repot in a clean pot with new potting compost.

Are you feeding the plant?  Every two weeks is ideal.

Sponge the leaves occasionally and mist the entire plant to keep the air humid.  Make sure it is not sitting in a draught.

Here in southern Spain where I live there are many sago palms growing wonderfully well out in the open come rain or shine.  Right now most of them have lots of new leaves just unfurling so I hope with the advice I have given you above you may be able to encourage your plants to send out new leaves in due course.  Good Luck.

Diana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


Palm not growing   QUESTION: Diana, thank you for your response.  The palm is outdoors for the past 10 years. It is a large palm. I don't water it much and I never feed it.  The palm that sits opposite it - two yards away - is doing just fine and putting out new growth.

Answer
I assume you are treating both plants the same?  The one that is not growing looks very dried up - I would give it a good watering if I were you.  I really don't know what else to suggest.  Maybe they are just like human siblings brought up in exactly the same way - one is a goody two shoes never putting a foot wrong and the other goes off the rails big time!

Diana