What can I do about this leaning sago?

[Rich Amooi]

Happy Halloween! I was curious if there is anything I can do about this leaning sago? I think it is going to tip over soon because of the weight. We bought this house six years ago, and it was already here and in that pot when we got here. We can't replant it in the ground because our dog wants to put everything in her mouth, but I was wondering if there were any other options. Is it possible to pull it out of that pot and replant it in the same pot without tearing up my arms? Not sure if the roots of those things really latch onto the inside of pots, so it would be difficult to remove. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much for your help.

[John2468]

I would repot it into a bigger pot, preferably something with a wider base. Also when you repot it, I would tilt it a bit so it would grow straighter.

Edited October 31, 2023 by John2468

[Silas_Sancona]

12 minutes ago, Rich Amooi said:

Happy Halloween! I was curious if there is anything I can do about this leaning sago? I think it is going to tip over soon because of the weight. We bought this house six years ago, and it was already here and in that pot when we got here. We can't replant it in the ground because our dog wants to put everything in her mouth, but I was wondering if there were any other options. Is it possible to pull it out of that pot and replant it in the same pot without tearing up my arms? Not sure if the roots of those things really latch onto the inside of pots, so it would be difficult to remove. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much for your help.

Should be easy to remove from the pot it is in ( ...And out grown, haha ) and re- orient when planting into a bigger pot w/ more space.  You can tie up the fronds so they don't stab you while repotting with string. 

[John2468]

2 hours ago, Rich Amooi said:

Happy Halloween! I was curious if there is anything I can do about this leaning sago? I think it is going to tip over soon because of the weight. We bought this house six years ago, and it was already here and in that pot when we got here. We can't replant it in the ground because our dog wants to put everything in her mouth, but I was wondering if there were any other options. Is it possible to pull it out of that pot and replant it in the same pot without tearing up my arms? Not sure if the roots of those things really latch onto the inside of pots, so it would be difficult to remove. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much for your help.

Just curious, how big was it when you moved in? I’m trying to see how long it would take to get to that size in a pot. Here’s mine:

[Rich Amooi]

12 minutes ago, John2468 said:

Just curious, how big was it when you moved in? I’m trying to see how long it would take to get to that size in a pot. Here’s mine:

Ours was almost the same size as yours when we moved in 6 years ago. 

[Merlyn]

After 6+ years that pot might have become brittle due to age, oxidation, and UV exposure.  So it may just fall apart when you go to remove the plant.  But if they used good stabilizers it might be still solid.  The problem that I *think* that pot is a hollow inner/outer shell...and the roots probably made their way in between them.  So it *might* be one of those cases where the pot is trashed because you can't remove it without cutting or breaking it.  That's just a guess, though.  I'd put it on the side and give it a good whack with the palm of your hand, then see if it'll slide out.  The sago/Revoluta is pretty tough, and won't care if you mess up some roots.  One thing to try and protect, though, are any visible "corraloid roots."  They tend to be near the surface, and are a useful source of nutrients to the cycad.  So just try not to remove or damage them if you see them.

[Rich Amooi]

Thanks!

Edited November 1, 2023 by Rich Amooi

[happypalms]

Try and get an old oak whiskey barrel and cut it in half they make great plant containers and would suit your garden well