Question
Hi - I inherited a lovely ponytail palm in a pot and it's been doing well in my apartment for over a year, but a couple weeks ago I noticed that the base of the leaves were white and soft, 2 of the 3 bulbs were getting soft, and the whole plant was going limp.  I usually water once a week, but there has been unusually high heat and humidity recently.  I removed all the leaves since they seemed essentially rotted, and one of the bulbs still feels solid inside.  Can I expect new leaves to grow? And fairly soon?
Thanks for your advice!

Answer
Alisa:
If the "bulbs" were soft and mushy w/maybe a foul smell, then this may indicate some level of soft rot which can be caused by a bacterium called Erwinia. Too much water to the pot can lead to an assortment of root rots caused by several fungal organisms and bacteria. These diseases are often progressive until the plant succumbs.  Water management is key, especially in the prevention of these issues. The soil needs to drain well in the pot. These plants can go a long time w/o water. They are slow growers too, so be patient and careful on the water. Removing the dead portions can be useful, but you can't always be sure that you were able to remove all of the "bad stuff".

Regards

Steve