Soft/squishy caudex on otherwise healthy ponytail palm – Should I be worried?
I've had this ponytail palm for about a year. I'm not a seasoned plant person, but it seems pretty happy thus far. It's been in need of a repot for a while, and I just found a pot big enough for it. While repotting, I noticed that everything below the soil line in its original pot (Costa Farms?) seems damp/softer than the rest of the plant. I moved the soil line below where it was originally.
I'm not sure if I should just maintain as usual (ignoring it), or if there's something I need to address.I'm a little nervous about it being root rot or something but I've been really careful with not overwatering this plant.
The soil pictured is the original; beneath it is a store-bought x gritty cactus mix. I didn't have perlite on hand, but I'm not sure if it makes sense to repot so soon.
TL;DR:
- Age: 1 year
- Issue: Soft caudex below the soil line; unsure how long it’s been soft
- Last repot: 2 weeks ago
- Last full watering: 4 weeks ago
- General schedule: Every 6-8+ weeks
- Light: Indoors, bright indirect light, 6-8+ hours in spring/summer
- Soil: Original nursery soil + perlite/store-bought/gritty mix; could be grittier, but leaving it for now
Thanks!