Need Advice: Removing Offsets from Dioon edule Queretaro

[PalmatierMeg]

About 2 years ago I bought a woefully neglected Dioon edule that had glaucous/blue leaves and a 8-10" caudex. I put it in the largest pot I had and with some TLC it roared back to life. I posted photos on PT and general consensus is that it might be Dioon edule 'Queretaro Blue'. It has grown large and also begun to offset: I count 5 or 6 offsets of varying sizes. I am concerned it might burst out of its pot and I prefer the look of a single caudex. I want to wrestle it out of its pot, remove the offsets and repot.

I've never removed offsets from a cycad before. Can anyone give me advice on tools and procedures I should follow to do so, how to prevent infections to the mother plant? I would like to save the offsets and find them new homes if possible but the mother is my main priority. Thanks for any advice. If possible I would like to do the work sometime this week.

Photos below. I red-circled offsets targeted for removal.

[Meangreen94z]

You may have to remove some of the soil around it. I wouldn’t remove any that have a caudex smaller than maybe 1.5-2”. I removed the offsets on my Dioon Edule last summer. I just pulled on the offset to tilt it at an angle, and used one  blade on a sharp pair of scissors in a slow sawing motion as I continued to pull on the offset. It went through the fibers relatively quick and clean, and caused less damage than any saw I own would have. I have the offsets under a plant light on my awning and water them manually until roots form. 

Edited November 11, 2019 by Meangreen94z

[PalmatierMeg]

Thanks for the info. From what you are telling me I may not have to unpot/repot the mother to access the offsets?

[Meangreen94z]

They will definitely be more accessible if it’s removed from the pot. I removed mine anyways. The pot in the above picture was getting tight, not to mention collapsing

Edited November 12, 2019 by Meangreen94z

[Darold Petty]

Meg, I would coat all the cut surfaces with powdered sulfur.  I'm sure that the cycad growers will have more complete advice.   

[Merlyn]

I bought a pretty good sized Dioon Mejiae from Tom Broome earlier this year, it has a fairly small offset on it.  I asked him about removing the offset and he said to wait until the offset was pretty big before removing it.  It's got to have enough energy stored in the caudex to potentially grow a whole new set of roots or it'll die trying.  IIRC he said at least 2 inches.  I also *think* he said to use pruning sealer on it, but that might have been ChuckG who said that about a big Encephalartos Hildebrandtii I bought from him.  It has a big offset that's partially subterranean at this point.

You could post the same pictures and photos in the Cycads FB group for more responses:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/315213375270185/

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

I wouldn't try removing that offset as it will cause trouble in that spot.  Depending on the species I stopped removing anything smaller than 4".

[GeneAZ]

This is not the best time to remove offsets for rooting.  Optimal success is achieved when offsets come off in March-April.

[PalmatierMeg]

Thanks, everybody! I'm leaving it alone for the immediate future.