How to water a ponytail palm

How to water a ponytail palm

1. 01

   When to water

   Allow Beaucarnea recurvata potting soil to dry between waterings. Deep but infrequent watering suits the plant’s swollen water-storing base. Drying is a check on the medium, not a number of days.

   Mimic a wetter summer and a dry winter by reducing watering significantly in winter. Return to deeper watering only as growth and light increase. In winter, check that the mix is dry before each watering instead of following a calendar.

2. 02

   How to water thoroughly

   When the medium is dry, water deeply or thoroughly and let excess drain before returning the container to its position.

   Use a well-drained cactus-style or sharply draining mix and never leave the plant in retained water. If the mix stays wet, inspect the root zone instead of watering again.

3. 03

   Signs of too much or too little water

   Brown tips can follow too much or too little water, excess fertilizer or accumulated salts, while persistently wet soil raises a root-rot concern. Inspect the medium and roots before changing the routine. Tip browning alone does not show which cause is active.