Holedigger-I break mine off from the mother plant with a shovel. I just put it between the mother and pup and break the baby loose by prying gently against the main plant. I usually use a light potting mix (with some pine bark incorporated into it). Keep them in the shade (or very light sun) and make sure you don't water them too much until they have taken root and started growing. I separated about a dozen from my main plant about 16 months ago and all are doing well.

I agree with GAtrops. A few weeks ago I removed a bunch of pups from this old sago. I just dug around the pup and it was quite easy to just pry them off.

I've let mine dry in the shade a few days before potting. They didn't have leaves tho.
kevin
p.s. I hope Longbeach means Calif. as I wouldn't grow any here in Florida anymore from the cycad scale.

I removed 10 pups last night.I had no idea there were that many.I knew about the 4 really large ones. That was fun. And I can see the big Sago again! Thanks for the tips. I removed the leaves from some, planted 7 in pots and 3 in the ground. I put some of the pots in shade and some in morning sun. I am interested to see what they like the best after being transplanted.

Holedigger-I was like you. I thought there were 3 or 4 pups to remove. When I got started I ended up taking a dozen and there were still more left. That reminds me, I meant to take some more this summer but forgot. Oh well, there's always next summer.

Happy Growing.

If you take of lots of these 'pups' its best to use a sharpened spade bit from a jack-hammer and a very large mash hammer , it only takes a few seconds for each one ..

Okay, you all inspired me to try and remove a couple of pups from my big sago today. I placed the back of the shovel against the mother and then pushed down (had to work it). It was like I was tearing the plant up and there were juices. Once I removed the pup, it was actually two. The one I originally started with turned out to be the size of a small pineapple. The other one that was buried and came out with the first was a little larger than a big avacado. My question now, the larger one has part of its side shaved off. Did I kill it? My second question, my other sago has several small (avacado sized) pups on it. But the mother plant has started to sprout new fronds, so should I leave those pups attached until next year? Thanks for any advice.

The pup with the edge cut off should be fine — it should heal itself. i usually leave the new pup sprouts for a little bit so theyre not so tiny, so maybe you could wait on the small ones till next summer