Sago Palm/Plant care Help needed!

[holycow]

Hi,
I'm not much of a gardener but since my DH fired ours I am forced to become one! (lived in ca. my whole life with little tiny yard and now in FL have big huge yard)

anyway I was wondering if anyone knows how to trim sago palms I've looked all over the web and it doesn't really help me much. I've read the stem is sensitive and shouldn't be damaged but I want all of these frond off...it covers the whole plant.

Can anyone help?

Oh, I also have these plants that are long and whispy and smell like onions????? Does anyone know how to care for those?

Thanks for any help...I'm totally garden inept!!!!!!!!!!



Holycow

 

[amid chaos]

I know nothing about this plant, but I'm sure marlasmom will be able to help you out...sit tight, she'll be here!

 

[Snowwark]

Welcome to the F&G board, holycow.

I'm not familiar with sago palms either, and like Amid said, hopefully Marlasmom (or another Florida Bud), has them and can help you out.

Why do you want to take all the fronds off, does the plant look unsightly?

 

[holycow]

Thanks for replying...most of the sago palms I've seen have the fronds removed from the bottom till almost the top...mine have been growing like crazy and have the fronds all the way around the whole thing from the bottom to the top...it just doesn't look right. but then during research it says you need to becareful because you can damage the "trunk" and rot and disease can set in!... To de frond or not to defrond.....that is the question!

Lisa

 

[Snowwark]

Lisa, I know you said you've done some researching on the net already, but have you checked out the Floridata site? It's a great site for Florida gardeners.

They show pics of sago palms with the fronds from top to bottom, kind of like shrubs. They also show them with just the top fronds, like little trees. I had no idea they were so slow growing!!

Here's the site link if you'd like to check it out.

~Floridata~

They may not have the actual answer you're looking for, but they do have all kinds of valuable info.

Kim

 

[holycow]

Thanks so much for posting the site...it was very informative!
I can't believe my palms are 40/50 years old...since living here they have grown sooooooo fast! Mine look like the Japanese ones towards the bottom...they have always looked like the one above it (trimmed) but they haven't been trimmed in 6 months and they've just taken over the place. It also doesn't mention that they are VERY PRICKILY and hurt when you bump into them!

Thanks again!

Lisa