Ponytail palm trunk soft — I was killing it with kindness

My ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) had a trunk that felt squishy near the base. I was watering it every 10-14 days like my other tropicals, but ponytail palms are succulents — they store water in that bulbous trunk.

I stopped watering completely for 3 weeks. The trunk firmed up noticeably. Now I water once a month, and only when the soil is bone dry 4 inches deep. Two new heads sprouted from the crown in the following month. It's now 3 feet tall with 5 cascading heads.

Rule of thumb: if the trunk feels soft, stop watering. Let it dry out completely before watering again. These plants thrive on neglect.