trying to do better

by a few plants I have that have never seemed to do well here. The tall dracanea I have moved to my fiancé's house where it has a spot by tall window in bright, indirect light. It is spreading out already- I think the lighting is better for it and also I'm not there to constantly overwater it!

My big aloe appreciates the extra space caused by its absence at the apartment, too.

It still grows lopsided but the crown seems healthy enough. I'm moving it outside- but keeping in shaded part of balcony at first to give it adjustment time, so it doesn't get sunburn.

I am trying to rescue my poor ponytail palm. This plant came to me in the decorative planter, and I never thought to inspect it closely- but I realized today it has no drainage holes. I upended it all. Even though the bottom of the planter held an inch of large-sized gravel, and I had been watering it sparingly every two weeks or so, it was still sitting in mud. I am actually surprised and impressed that its still alive! Very tough plant, to withstand such poor conditions. No wonder its been looking peaky. I put it in a new (smaller) pot with good holes, nested back into the planter, in new soil- a cactus mix. Further reading, I've learned ponytail palms are not a palm at all, but a succulent- they like to stay dry. Also, I'd had it planted too deep- the thick base/stalk is supposed to be above the soil line- you can see the darkness here, where I have raised it up again.

Unfortunately, the top also got damaged when I was repotting it, so it's rather flattened now.

Not nearly as pretty, but I hope it revives. These things can grow to tree size and I've read comments online of people keeping a ponytail palm for fifty, sixty years and counting!

My creeping charlie is not doing well either. Its cuttings died, the rest of it looks unwell. I've given it newer, drier potting soil as well and moved to a different location in the home where it gets brighter indirect light. Not sure why this one is faltering now. Something is not quite right for it and I still haven't figured that out.