Lets Growing Rubber Plant, The Best HousePlants
Rubber Plant “Ficus elastica” can propagate through clippings. During the spring, cut a piece of branch and place the tip which expels the sap into the water for half an hour. Next, dip the tip into the rooting hormone and plant it into fertile well-drained soil.
Rubber plants are one of the Best Indoor Plants, easy to grow and care for, and make lovely additions to any home or office. This plant does well in a variety of conditions and is more likely to outgrow its home than die there.
Rubber plants prefer warm temperatures. Although rubber plants adapt quickly to household and office temperatures, for best results, maintain a day-time temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit or more, and a night-time temperature of 65 degrees.
Rubber plants require adequate soil moisture, but over-soaking the soil will cause problems. To avoid over-soaking, use pots that drain. If the pot is set in a saucer, discard the excess water after each watering.
To ensure proper growth, place your rubber plant in commercially available potting soil. Repot the plant when it requires re-watering on a daily basis, or if it becomes too large for its container. Apply a soluble fertilizer suitable for houseplants once every two months if the plant is exposed to high light, and once every four months in medium-lit areas.
Caring leaves of your Rubber Tree Houseplant
Differentes Varieties of Rubber Plants
- Ficus elastica ‘Tineke’
- The Ficus elastica ‘Robusta‘
- Ficus elastica ‘Decora’
- Ficus elastica ‘Doescheri’
- Ficus elastica ‘Burgundy’
- The Ficus elastica ‘Melany’
- Ficus elastica ‘Tricolor’
- The Ficus elastica ‘Abidjan’
General Care for Rubber Plants
The ficus elastica, or rubber tree plant, is popular as indoor decor plants. It is not only easy to grow but also stays healthy for years. The plant is attractive, with large glossy leaves and heights reaching up to 10 feet tall.
Caring for ficus Elastica is easy as long as indoor lighting and temperature conditions remain constant. Follow these steps to maintain your plant for many years.
Sun
Place your ficus Elastica in a location receiving 4 to 6 hours of bright light, but not direct sun each day at a temperature between 55 to 75 degrees. Once you’ve found a suitable spot where your plant seems to thrive, do not move it. Rubber tree plants do not tolerate changes in light or temperature very well. Keep it away from drafty doors or windows as well as heat sources.
Pot For Rubber Plant
Plant your ficus elastica in a pot with high-quality well-drained soil. Set the pot over a shallow dish with pebbles filled with water. This will supply humidity to the plant constantly. Every 2 to 3 years in the springtime, assess the plant’s growth. If the pot appears to be too small, transfer your plant to a larger pot with new soil so that roots have fresh conditions and space to grow. Be careful not to increase the size of the pot by more than 1 inch in diameter, however. Plant outdoors only if you live in USDA Hardiness Zone 10.
Rubber plants’ Water Needs
Water once a week, ensuring that soil stays moist, but not waterlogged. Generally, water the plant until liquid drips out from the bottom. In the wintertime, reduce watering to once every 2 weeks. While it is normal for some lower leaves to fall off, if you notice yellowing dried leaves, you are probably overwatering your ficus elastic.
Learn How to Add Fertilizer For Rubber Plant
During the first 2 months of your plant’s growth, apply high phosphorus 5-10-5 NPK fertilizer. For the remainder of your plant’s life, apply high nitrogen 10-5-5 NPK fertilizer. Feed the plant one dose every 3 to 4 weeks during the summer months and one dose every 5 to 6 weeks during the fall.
Mold and Pests Control
If you notice mold or insects on your plant, treat the condition as soon as possible with Spray Rubber Plants. Simply wipe off the leaves with a mild soapy water solution and regularly assess the plant’s health.
House Plants Pruning
Use sharp scissors or pruning shears to cut back an overgrown and unwieldy ficus elastica. Trimming back the plant dramatically to your desired length will not damage it, but it may sprout additional branches from that spot, which could increase the business. Also, the trimmed sections will drip sap, so protect your floors with several layers of newspapers and apply a rooting hormone to the trimmed exposed stumps.
