It is natural for older leaves in a ponytail palm to die. With that being said, if newer leaves are yellowing (or the trunk is soft) that is a sign that it is getting too much water. If brown tips appear, that indicates your plant is not receiving enough water, got too much fertilizer, or is getting too much direct sun.
You want to water the soil as best you can and not the base. That way the water will get down to the root level where it will take up the water. Just remember to allow the top inch or two of soil to dry completely before re-watering and only water occasionally during the winter.
Considering the age of your ponytail palm, it’s easy to see where it would be difficult to repot. Ponytail palms actually do not mind being rootbound, so if you want to give it a little refresher in the same pot you can remove the top layer of growing medium and replace with new. You also want to be mindful of signs that it is too rootbound, including roots growing out of the drainage holes, the growing medium drying out very quickly, and water running out directly through the pot and not the soil when watered.
Hi Marlene,
It is natural for older leaves in a ponytail palm to die. With that being said, if newer leaves are yellowing (or the trunk is soft) that is a sign that it is getting too much water. If brown tips appear, that indicates your plant is not receiving enough water, got too much fertilizer, or is getting too much direct sun.
You want to water the soil as best you can and not the base. That way the water will get down to the root level where it will take up the water. Just remember to allow the top inch or two of soil to dry completely before re-watering and only water occasionally during the winter.
Considering the age of your ponytail palm, it’s easy to see where it would be difficult to repot. Ponytail palms actually do not mind being rootbound, so if you want to give it a little refresher in the same pot you can remove the top layer of growing medium and replace with new. You also want to be mindful of signs that it is too rootbound, including roots growing out of the drainage holes, the growing medium drying out very quickly, and water running out directly through the pot and not the soil when watered.