Newbie could use some help/advice with first "Ponytail Palm"

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nephifofum Olympia, WA Aug 22, 2012

I bought this plant from Walmart about 5 months ago. It came in a 3" plastic container. About a month ago, I decided to repot it and put it in a 6".
It's been doing well, and was growing quite rapidly. I left for a week's vacation, fully watering it before I left. Unfortunately (for the plant) I extended my vacation twice and ended up being gone two weeks instead of one. That definitely killed several leaves and the plant as a whole just seems more droopy.

Anyway, as the attached photo shows, I have several small "bulbs" close together. This is how it came. My questions:
1. How does my soil level look? Is it too high, covering more of the "bulbs" than should be, or is it too low, or just fine?
2. I'm guessing those individual bulbs will NOT fuse into one large bulb. What do I do regarding these multiple bulbs? Should they be separated? If so, should they each be put into their own pot, or should I leave them together but space them apart, maybe an inch or so? Or do I just keep them close together like that? The ponytail palms I've seen have always been a single, large "bulb," so I'm a bit confused.

Any help, tips, advice, comments will be greatly appreciated!!

Thumbnail by nephifofum
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Whataday Wetumpka, AL(Zone 8a) Aug 23, 2012

Im curious to see the tips and advise you get for this question. I also bought a small pot of ponytail palms about a month ago. There was six in the pot. What I did was divided mine into two pots. I put three in each pot, about two inches apart. Im in zone 8 and have had mine out side on the back patio. They have grown just a little bit and look pretty good. I also have the bulb out of the soil about like yours are.

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KyWoods Highland Heights, KY(Zone 6a) Aug 23, 2012

Here is an article written by 'Palmbob'. I'd send my question to him if I were you.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/261/

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Whataday Wetumpka, AL(Zone 8a) Aug 25, 2012

I found the link very interesting, thanks for posting it KyWoods!

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KyWoods Highland Heights, KY(Zone 6a) Aug 25, 2012

You're welcome! I have ponytail palms, too, so I found it really interesting.

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LP52 Eugene, OR Sep 01, 2012

I've grown a lot of these. Some single and some with several in one pot. They grow very slowly, as the older leaves on the bottom age, you can take them off, carefully, and this is where the trunk will be. They're quite beautiful any way you want to grow them. I have mine in an east window in winter. I hang it outside under the patio the rest of the yearSitting on a shelf or hanging by the window, they are a statement piece and require very little care. I hang it outside under the patio the rest of the year. I live in Eugene, Or

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