How Often to Water the Ponytail Palm? Detailed Guide to Watering and Hydroponic Methods

Nowadays many people want to grow some green plants at home to decorate their homes and improve their home environment. The ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) is relatively one of the more popular plants, not only does it have an impressive name, but its plant shape is also very graceful and full of character. But many people do not have a very deep understanding of growing the ponytail palm, and all kinds of problems always come up. Next, follow the editor to learn about the watering methods in daily care.

How to Water the Ponytail Palm (How Often to Water)

1. Growing season

Its growing season is from March to October each year. During this period it needs a large amount of water, but that does not mean you should pour in a large amount of water, because its thick stem is especially good at storing water, so it is very drought-tolerant. When watering, just keep the soil in a slightly moist state. If you really cannot judge the state of the soil well, then follow the principle of preferring it dry rather than too wet, and water once every 1-2 days.

2. Summer

Summer is also its growing season, but because the temperature is higher, the amount of water should be appropriately increased. The amount of watering in summer is also the greatest of the whole growing season, and you can water once every 1 day to 4 days. But if there is cloudy and rainy weather, you can pause watering or water only a small amount. Its stem can store water, so there is no need to worry about what to do if there is a lack of water during this period.

3. Winter

In winter it also goes dormant and stops growing. At this time you must slowly reduce the watering strength for the plant, and you can change from the original watering once every 1 day to 7 days to watering once every 3 days to 7 days, or pause watering.

Fertilizing Methods for the Ponytail Palm

1. Base fertilizer

If it is potted, you can mix some organic fertilizer into the prepared soil.

2. Growing season

Its growing season is from March to October, and these months are also when its demand for fertilizer is greatest, so fertilizer is indispensable at this time.

3. Summer

The order of fertilizing in summer can be as follows: fertilize--water--fertilize--water, carried out in this order, with each cycle lasting 1 day to 4 days. Because summer temperatures are on the high side, the interval can be shorter.

4. Winter

The order of fertilizing in winter can be as follows: fertilize--water--water--fertilize--water--water, carried out in this order, with an interval of about 3 days to 7 days. Spring and summer together have at most 4 fertilizings, while in winter if the plant stops growing, you can pause fertilizing, and wait until winter has passed to resume fertilizing, but after the first fertilizing after resuming, pause watering first.

How to Grow the Ponytail Palm Hydroponically

1. Taking the seedling for hydroponics

Choose a perennial, robust, disease-free, well-formed single-headed ponytail palm or a mini plant with relatively many apical buds, then dig it out from the pot or the ground, remove the soil from its upper part, taking care to protect the roots, then wash it clean with water, then cut off the rotten or weak roots, and soak it in diluted flower and plant nutrient solution for one day.

2. Choosing the container for hydroponics

Take two double-layer containers. The upper container needs a plastic sieve with a bottom hole, while the lower container needs to be a plastic bottle or glass bottle without a bottom hole.

3. Hydroponic method

Dig four or five small holes of about one centimeter in the bottom of the upper container, plant the ponytail palm soaked in diluted flower and plant nutrient solution in the upper container, with the roots passing through the bottom holes of the upper container, and put in ceramsite. Then steady the ponytail palm, place it on the lower container, add clean water and flower and plant nutrient solution, the water should reach the bottom of the upper container, and then place it in a cool place.

4. Hydroponic management

Every three days, spray the branches and leaves with diluted flower and plant nutrient solution, and change the water once every half month, while also adding flower and plant nutrient solution. About half a month after potting, it will take root. In fact, hydroponics is a bit more hygienic than soil cultivation. If the water is low, you can add water once every 5-6 days, and hydroponics has relatively fewer pests and diseases.

How to Repot the Ponytail Palm

1. Choosing the time

Potted ponytail palms should be repotted and given new soil in spring or after autumn each year. Summer is hot and scorching, and is not suitable for repotting the ponytail palm, as it will cause water loss and the plant will dry up. When repotting and changing the soil, use a mixed soil made by blending leaf mold, garden soil and river sand for transplanting. The flower pot chosen should be slightly larger than before, to make repotting convenient and ensure the plant safely "moves to a new home". When turning the pot out, keep the flower's root system intact, and move it to the pot quickly and steadily.

2. Cleaning the roots

If during repotting you find that the ponytail palm has too many root hairs, you need to clean up part of the diseased roots, old roots, residual roots and dead roots, to ensure the normal growth and nutrient absorption of the ponytail palm after repotting. As for the soil ball carried by the roots during repotting, about two thirds of the whole should be removed. Spread part of the new soil in the pot, then place the already treated roots steadily into the new flower pot, add culture soil and water, and shade it. After about a week, you can water again to promote the growth and absorption of new roots.

3. Method of removing from the pot

First place the pot that the ponytail palm needs to be changed from on the ground, tap lightly around the pot so that the pot soil and the old pot are separated by the vibration, then turn the flower pot upside down, hold the plant with your fingers, pat the bottom of the pot with your right hand, and use a wooden tool to push the soil downward from the bottom hole, so that the ponytail palm comes out. Then pat the rim of the pot with both hands so that the excess soil falls off from the pot wall.

The care methods for the ponytail palm are introduced here, and I hope they can help everyone. The ornamental value of the ponytail palm is very high, and it is very suitable for potting. Friends who like it can grow a pot at home to improve the monotony of the home environment.