WOW! We must be so very lucky to be in the DEEP SOUTH, (Nashville is NOT THE DEEP SOUTH). No need for crow bars, unless the plant is in your neighbor's car...We've divided our "Grandfather BoP" 6 times, and never had a failed attempt. We use a "sharp-shooter" shovel, many utility workers are cursed by having one of these. We find a "division-natural" in the plant's base...place the sharpshooter at the soil level and push DOWN. Now we have a clay,soil mix not the friendliest of soil conditions, but several push-jabs, render a brand-new baby to our family...that we do not have to send to college or worry if it's diseased or pregnant... Place in a large, 5 gallon, rocks in bottom, mix of potting, mulch, and top soil to the green stems, water, ONCE a week thoroughly....do not over water,. Soon you will witness nature loving your plant...here we prefer the SOUTHERN side of the home for permanent and temporary nurseries. Protect from freezes with cover AND light bulb....It's work with a huge payoff. At times Twins, and even Triplets from the same stalk!!!. Best of luck. Be well. Yandi

Any plant in a pot needs repotting on a regular basis. There will be some who make the claim that a ponytail palm will "thrive" on neglect, but that is not true. That the plant will suffer a lot of abuse without succumbing to the stress cannot be taken as indication it approves of the stress. No plant does, and neglect is always accompanied by stress ...... or it isn't neglect. The most often overlooked key to a persistently healthy plant is regular repotting into a soil that won't hold enough water to be a limiting factor. At the point your plant can be lifted from the pot with the root/soil mass intact, it will benefit from a repot ...... and a repot is much different than potting up. Potting up ensures the limitations imposed by root congestion remain, where repotting eliminates entirely the limitations associated with root congestion. Over-watering in poor soils can be lethal. The idea is to use or make a soil that allows you to water to beyond the point of saturation, so you're flushing the soil of accumulating dissolved solids (salts) when you water, this, without the plant having to pay an "over-watering tax" in the form of significant loss of potential. Tight roots can rob your plant of more than 90% of it's potential as the congestion reaches the critical stage. All the succulents, trees, and most houseplants I grow are grown in this medium: Best luck! Al

It might be an idea to "introduce" them to the sun gradually - now that the sting in the sun is getting a little weaker they should cope ok with some early morning sun before the full blast of mid day sun. They will put on a great show in the future for you - good luck.

The pictures are sideways so they are hard to look at.