Two Ponytail Palms: One Thriving, One Losing Leaves After Repotting

Betty has two ponytail palms in a bonsai pot for 3 years. After fungus gnats, she repotted both. One is fine (still some gnats), the other lost half its leaves.

Expert Answer: Water like cacti: water, wait 1 hour, empty tray, don't water again until dry 5+ days. Use very sandy cactus soil. Pot diameter should be no more than twice the bulb width. Likely the pots are too large, soil too moisture-retentive, and watering too frequent—causing root rot and attracting gnats. Move to smaller pots with sandy soil, place in sunniest spot. Summer: full sun outdoors. Winter: water every 2 weeks; summer: weekly. They love being root-bound and dry.