Ponytail Palm in need of advice

[MiMi Appleduck]

Hello All
I am new to your forum. I am in need of some serious advice. I have enjoyed my Ponytail Palm Bonsai for 3-4 years. Unknowingly, I have been neglectful and find myself in some serious trouble as I try to save my plant. It was an inexpensive purchase that came with a generic tag instructing watering weekly and "Do not fertilize." Because I struggle with houseplants, I decided to follow these instructions Now, it is showing signs of stress at best and disease at worst. Following the advice of numbers of people I enlisted to help me, I transplanted it in what I am quite certain now is a too-large pot and probably improper soil What to do now The last advice I received was to leave it for at least a week before trying to re-pot it again properly. The soild I used was an organic "soilless" mixture with some perlite. I did trim the roots but I think probably not enough. When I watered it, the wate did not sit on top for more than a few seconds but probably took a few minutes to drain to the bottom. The original pot is about 8" by 6" deep. The new pot is 10" by 8" deep. I think I should probably put it back into the old pot.
Thanks for whatever help anyone can give me. I will be so sad to lose my favorite plant

[img]https://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac177/MiMiAppleduck/Bonsai1.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac177/MiMiAppleduck/Bonsai2.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac177/MiMiAppleduck/Bonsai3.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac177/MiMiAppleduck/Bonsai4.jpg[/img]

[Rosaelyn]

First of all, welcome to the forum.

From the pictures, it looks as though your palm maybe losing vigor due to being potbound - it had no more room to grow. By trimming the roots and introducing new soil, this should encourage new growth, and can easily be done in the original pot. However, if you want it to grow larger, a bigger pot is fine.

"Soilless" soil should drain very fast, that is part of the appeal. It also does not leave the roots sitting in water or break down as quickly as conventional soil.

Does your new pot have a drainage hole in the bottom?

Before I continue, for my clarification, are the pictures you posted before you trimmed the roots and before you added new soil? The pictures do not look like a final result.

[MiMi Appleduck]

Thanks so much.
No, it is not the finished product. I trimmed the roots from around the ball and removed about 1/3 of the soil. I think I should have removed it all, but I didn't know at the time. Also, I feel as though I left some long roots that should have been trimmed. If the pot is too large, will it harm my plant?

[Rosaelyn]

There is definitely the possibility of a new pot being too big for a plant, but I do not think your new pot is too big nor is your old pot too small in this particular case.

Yes, ideally, when you repot, you want to remove all the old soil from the roots. This assists with getting water to the center of the rootball, since organic soil tends to collapse when it gets old.

Trimming about 1/3 of the roots is good amount. Putting it into a bigger pot, you probably did not have to remove even that much, unless the roots were dead or black in places, since you upsized your pot.

From the pictures, the roots look healthy, just a little crowded. I agree that repotting was the right thing to do. It should add back some of its lost vigor.

As for repotting it again, I personally would not. I would let it recover. Keep an eye on its watering needs, since you are using a different type of soil. When you do water, make sure to thoroughly drench the soil. In fact, I water twice, once until the plant is good and soaked with much of the water running out the bottom and then a second time about 5-10 minutes later.

[MiMi Appleduck]

Thanks, again. I am much relieved.

When should I fertilize and how often, and what should I use.
You feel the brown spots are from being pot-bound and underfed and not from a fungus of sorts? I can find no pests, powder, oozing. The leaves are clean and dry.

The plant looks less perky today than usual. I assume is is from the trauma of transplanting.

[Rosaelyn]

Since this palm has been with you for 3-4 years and you have been taking care of it in a consistent manner that entire time, I do think it is lacking vigor because it needed repotting.

Just to be certain, though, did your palm faced any other factors that might be stressing it? Change in light? Change in temperature? Change in watering? Overwatering can cause yellowing of the leaves, but it does sound like you have been consistent with how you water for a long time.

And yes, it might be mopey for a little while right now, since repotting is a stressful experience for any plant. But it should adjust without a problem. Ponytail palms are very hardy.

Here is some care info specific to your plant:

https://www.joebonsai.com/ponytail-palm-bonsai-care/

[MiMi Appleduck]

I can't thank you enough.

I appreciate the link as well.

[Rosaelyn]

Glad to help. Please keep us posted on your palm.