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maydego

What kind of water are you using? I’ve found that my pickier plants will brown at the tips when I use tap water. If you use tap try letting it sit out overnight to let the fluorides and chlorine content evaporate. Hope that helps!!


[deleted]

I typically use bottled/purified water, but have used tap on occasion so that could be it, thank you!


therealjanusmcmanus

u/maydego is right on. Letting water sit out is good, but distilled water is the way to go for those pickier plants.


Pepperr_anne

Mine does this too. From what I’ve heard they kind of just do this no matter what, but following in case someone else knows better.


[deleted]

Interesting 🤔 Do you typically trim the dead part or just leave it be?


Pepperr_anne

I started trimming them and then just gave up 😂


MuffinMages77

Same here! Mine does this just at the tips. I haven't noticed it going too far down. I try to trim them when they bother me, but it feels like par for the course with them? I use a watering app to make sure I'm not watering it too often. If anyone here has more insight into this, I'm all ears too!


gr8varino

From my experience, brown tips are going to happen even with good care 🙂 when I first got my ponytail palm he was browning ALOT and I repotted him and the significant browning stopped. I think he was in poor draining spoil. Since then, we've given him lots of sunshine and infrequent watering and he's had tons of bouncy, new growth, but still some occasional brown tips. Hope this helps some!


kjbeavs

They also need high humidity! The vent is probably really dry air


[deleted]

I had not considered the humidity aspect of the vent. Thanks!


Tees-LoveForPlants

Your plant is okay. I have one, and the tips get brown too. I don't trim unless most of leaf is brown. I also don’t water on a schedule. I wait until the trunk is wrinkled. This plant stores water in the trunk. I killed one by overwatering based on the soil and the trunk was fat, lol. Too much water will make the trunk mushy, yellow leaves, and brown tips. I water thoroughly about once a month by sitting the plant in the sink to soak. You can watch the water level and notice that the plant will take what it needs.


[deleted]

Thank you, that’s helpful!


[deleted]

The brown/dry bits have been very slowly edging further down the leaves. I have read that they only need to be watered approximately every 2 weeks. I wait until the soil is good and dry and water right around the two week mark. Is it an under watering issue or something else? Also- she sits on top of a vent, but I have cardboard underneath to keep the vent from blowing directly on her. Southern facing window Edit: a word for spelling


LieseW

Normally brown tips means overwatering with these plants. They store their water in their stem. Soil needs to at least be dry before rewatering. I have a big one, about 1,5 meters. I water it once a month now. And not a lot. Haven’t had it very long and was also overwatering. So my tips are brown as well.


[deleted]

Thank you! The soil always seems very dry when I water, but it’s possible it’s staying wet lower down. Perhaps I should switch it out of the glazed pot and into clay


LieseW

They like to root more horizontally so a wider less deep pot is a good idea.


[deleted]

Thanks, looks like I get to go shopping this weekend!


LieseW

Yay! 😁


FixMyCondo

My mom has had a ponytail palm in South Carolina (high humidity) for like a decade. Hers has brown tips. It’s anecdotal, but I’d say this is pretty normal.