Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
lorissa111

Ponytail Palm soil

lorissa111
11 years ago

I need to repot my Ponytail palm. What kind of soil would you recommend? It's leaves have been turning brown and the soil always seems wet ever since I repotted it around 4 months ago. I mixed potting soil with sand and it just doesn't seem to drain. Any recommendations?

Thanks Lori

Comments (9)

  • cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
    11 years ago

    Lori,

    For the easiest method to getting your plant back to health, take a good potting soil and cut it by at least 50% with perlite. Repot your plant in a larger pot (maybe 2-3" of annular space between the pot's sides and the rootball), after giving it a haircut (leave 4-6" of bangs), at the same soil level it's at. Don't water for a few days and then give it a drink. It needs more sun (this plant grows best in acclimated-to full sun), but your Beaucarnea recurvata should recover. Sand is a highly overrated soil ingredient and, most times, shouldn't be used if something else is available (and it usually is).

    I expect in 10 years or so to see your plant like the one in the link.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Beaucarnea recurvata

  • aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
    11 years ago

    How often should these guys be repotted, I've had mine for about 3 years still in it's original pot. It gets a cup of water once a month year round whether it needs it or not, seems to be doing OK.
    Annette

  • cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
    11 years ago

    Annette,

    It's fine the way it is, if you want to keep it small , but it's like any other plant, mostly - the more resources you give it, the larger / more prosperous it will get. Since a lot of us grow it for its 'footprint', the more growing it can do the larger the foot gets.

  • juliebees2009
    11 years ago

    Wish I could uploads a picture of mine it look just about like the smaller one and I have to say I never saw one that large in the first picture I love just coming and looking at what others have and get ideas I hope mine will grow tall it would be a beautiful thing to watch grow. Mine for ow if I can just keep it alive I will be happy..Anybody have some secrets on how they care for theirs I never had one of these before but its just different , the bottom of mine is still a bit small its out of the pot but not what you would call a foot...it's probably just a young plant. I probably will not live long enough to see mine grow as large as the first one.

  • scsva
    11 years ago

    Thanks for sharing those pictures Lori and Annette. I think they both look very good. I liked the plant in Jeff's picture but I prefer the longer dark green leaves.

    Thanks again
    Susan

  • CorpsmanCooper
    11 years ago

    That is one heck of a ponytail palm Lori! WOW

  • lorissa111
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for the responses. I wanted to give you an update. I repotted my ponytail palm. I used cactus potting soil and added some perlite. When I took him out of the pot there were no roots. I dipped him in a solution of water and RooTone before I repotted. I will let you know how he does. I have had him for over 15 years. When I got him from a friend he was half as tall. I have seen them in Mexico 3 stories high. I wish I would have left him in his original pot till it split. I have heard they like to be tight in their container.

    Thanks again,
    Lori

  • CorpsmanCooper
    11 years ago

    Lori,

    I received a ponytail palm from my husband's grandmother that was in the same condition! The roots were rotted off and some of the base. I removed as much of the rot as I could, dipped it in cinnamon and let it dry for a day or two. After it dried I planted it in a mix of 50% pea gravel, 25% perlite and 25% MG cactus potting mix. I didn't water it for another week. Low and behold I saved the darn thing. It's thriving and ready to be potted up!

    ~Erin~

    Here's it now. I can't find the ones from before.
    {{gwi:641423}}