Don't transplant while it is flushing new leaves!

Without a photo or more details there's no way to tell if should be repot, they will tolerate being rootbound by slowing down growth.

Oh joy! Somebody asked a question that was close to what I had tweaking my mind.

My Sagos, about 5 of them all 'flushed' for the first time in the past four weeks. I waited so long to see if there was any life in them after this past January's big hard freeze. And it was splendid to see that little spike start to rise and split out into new fronds, - just splendid.

My question is ... is that it? Just one flush per year? How many times might a Sago be expected to flush out in one year?

You need lots of fertilizer, water, heat and a long growing season to get more than 1 annual flush from Cycas revoluta, the Sago "palm".

Many other species can be coaxed into 2 or more flushes in good conditions, heck, I even get 2 flushes out of Cycas rumphii in NY while outdoors in pots without extra heat...but revoluta happens to be one of the slower growing cycads. Cycas taitungensis is very similar looking but has longer leaves and grows much more quickly.

30 days after the first flush, dump 1/2 cup of 10-10-10 lawn fertilizer on it (1/4 cup if in a small pot); it should flush again.

I've seen fertilizer kill plants, seedlings actually. But OK, I love to experiment. I'll try it on a couple of the Sagos.

high and sustained levels of nitrogen can trigger a flush, most lawn fertilizers are formulated that way, so yes, that can work, it shouldn't be dangerous just make sure you water very well too, but not if the weather starts to cool down

On July 17th, I added some N rich plant food around the base of my crop of Cycas Revolutas. That was just 10 days ago! Already, two of the six are showing the new flush spike in the middle of their crowns. One is well developed and the other is just emerging.

Thanks for the advise, xerophyte and alex_7b. It really works and surprisingly, pronto.

I am in zone 5 and continually put 2 year old cow manure on my Cycads & Dioons. I get two and even sometimes three flushes a season from my Revolutas (the third flush is usually only 2-3 leaves), but like Xero stated, the Taitungensis Cycads are fast growing. For all practicle purposes, my Taitungensis trees are all putting out a new flush every 2 weeks during the growing season. However, my Taitungensis X Guizhouensis Hybrids from Robert Chumley are actually flushing all the time. Kinda like a regular palm tree, there is a new leaf starting before the latest leaf gets opened.
[IMG]http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb212/TopekaPalms/Picture005-3.jpg[/IMG]
Hopefully this pic posted of the Tait/Guiz. You can see two new leafs.

New Sagos and 2 Year Old Cow Manure?!

Is the cow 2 years old, or the manure? LOL. :)

I'll have to try some of these other Sagos mentioned, but I've only seen Cardboard Sagos and Queen Sagos as alternatives around here.

All this talk about sagos; I have 10 sagos in my yard of various sizes and ages; my oldest and largest sago is over 30 years old; what does the term "flushing" mean?

Stevoreno
Biloxi, Mississippi
07/31/07

Sometimes when I have been on the freeway, in heavy traffic, I have yelled out loud "Doesn't anybody know how to flush this damn toilet?!" Nobody ever does and the lookie lous and rubber neckers have their day.

There is also a town in NY called Flushing.

But with regard to Sagos, it's a synonym I have only just heard of in this thread and it apparently means a new 'flush' of leaves.