How To Prune A Potted Rubber Plant: 15 Useful Grooming Tips

How To Prune A Potted Rubber Plant? Are you looking to add a potted plant with a sculptural appearance and lovely wide leaves to your plant collections? Rubber plants may very well be appreciated as moderate potted plants.

Rubber plants can be developed significant enough to form the main feature of a room, thanks to their lustrous, dark green foliage. Rubber plants possess an easy-going nature, pruning rubber plants is usually unnecessary.

However, to get the form or appearance you desire for your rubber plant, you must trim them and prune off every dying or dead leaf. We’ll show you how and when to trim your Rubber Plant to preserve it alive and stable, as well as how to form it to your liking.

  • When To Prune Rubber Plants
  • How To Trim Your Rubber Tree
  • How To Force Side Shoots On A Rubber Tree
  • Rubber Tree Leaves Splitting
  • Rubber Plant Leaf Problems
  • Rubber Plant Care
  • How To Propagate Rubber Plant
  • Leggy Rubber Plant
  • Rubber Plants Losing Leaves
  • Signs Your Rubber Plant Is Dying

When To Prune Rubber Plants

It is best to prune your rubber plant around the early developing period which is late spring or early summer for rapid restoration, even though rubber trees are resilient enough just to take minor trimming at whatever period of the year.

Only make a few modest cuttings on your rubber trees if you need to trim them down during the colder months. Also, to prevent your tree from shock, pruning rubber trees in phases over the span of a few weeks is best, especially when creating major changes on your tree.

How To Prune A Potted Rubber Plant?

  1. At a lesser height, right beyond a node, trim the primary trunk or branch of your rubber tree. A node is the place on the branch in which your plant’s leaves are connected. It is not necessary to trim the shoots of your tree at an inclination or angle.
  1. Your rubber tree will grow branches due to the trimming. The clipped end will sprout two or even more shoots. Side shoots will be forced out as a result of trimming a rubber tree plant.
  1. After the young shoots have grown two fresh sets of foliage, side sprouts, prune them again. There will now be two or maybe more additional sprouts on every of the two stems. As a result, your tree will thicken and increase in both broadness and height.
  1. Continue cutting back rubber plant every stem following the development of two fresh sets of foliage.

How To Force Side Shoots On A Rubber Tree

Visualizing the layout you want to attain for your rubber tree can aid you in deciding where to trim your tree tactically to ensure proper branching.

Rubber Tree Care
Rubber Tree Care

As much as you prepare ahead of time, it is surprisingly pretty simple to mold your rubber tree towards the basic form and size you wish for.

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But first, a quick scientific explanation on why pruning rubber plants indoors encourages the growth of new branches and force side shoots; apical meristems are seen in rubber trees.

Rubber trees generally have only a single apical meristem, one stalk, furthermore, every fresh development starts from the tree’s tip. Rubber trees prefer to develop straight up because of this.

It thus explains that if you want a multi-stemmed rubber tree, you’ll need to trim your rubber tree smartly while paying attention to where your tree’s endpoints are, also where branching might develop.

why Rubber Tree Leaves Splitting

Leaf splitting is a common occurrence in rubber trees, particularly in spaces with fans or a great deal of natural circulation of air. Rubber tree leaves split for a variety of reasons, although there is usually always some form of adverse growth situation to blame.

Low humidity is typically the cause of your rubber tree’s foliage splitting along the center. When your rubber trees are farther away from a moisture source, misting their foliage during the early hours can assist boost moisture.

Also, check on your tree on a frequent basis to verify that it is receiving appropriate water and that every tray placed underneath it to improve moisture are appropriately filled.

Rubber Plant Leaf Problems and solutions

Southern Blight

Southern blight is a basic moisture-related ailment that is easily avoidable. Southern blight is induced via a fungus called Rolfsii. Yellow or reddish patches on the lower foliage of your rubber tree are several of the first signs of fungus.

Southern blight is particularly common on rubber trees especially if your tree is misted on a frequent basis or overwatered, mainly during the summer months. 

Fungus avoidance is the greatest approach for southern blight because it is a difficult ailment to tackle since it is so deadly.

When in its growing phase, your rubber tree should be watered sparingly. Keep the leaves dry at all times. Also, you must use the disinfected potting mix when repotting your rubber trees.

Thrips

Ficus potted trees are more widely accessible, and they are nonetheless vulnerable to thrips, yet thrip outbreaks are not a problem for some rubber tree farmers.

The rubber plant leaves are often attacked by tiny flying insects known as thrips, rubber plant sheds leaves as a result. Silvery gray splotches beneath your plant’s foliage, where feeding has happened, is one of the first indicators.

To minimize and manage thrip infestations, you could use a widely obtainable pesticide.

Rubber plant care

1. Soil

Rubber plants aren’t choosy about the soil they grow in, however, rubber trees demand an acidic growing medium (potting mix). Several home planters prefer a cactus mix, but any decent, fast-draining potting mix would usually suffice.

2. Temperature And Humidity

Rubber trees thrive in mild to hot conditions ranging from 60 to 75°F, under mild moisture. These rubber plants are susceptible to chilly drafts, much as other species of ficus trees. If your house is prone to dryness, consider getting a room humidifier to raise the humidity levels.

3. Light

Rubber plants, just like the majority of their species, thrive in strong, indirect light. Rubber trees can withstand gentle early exposure, however towards midday, your tree must be relocated out of full exposure to avoid scorching their leaves.

4. Water

Drought is also a problem for rubber plants, as they are sensitive to it. Rubber plants want to be kept moistened although not drenched or soaked, so water them often.

5. Fertilizer

When your rubber trees are in good health, they consume large amounts of nutrients. During the growth phase, nourish your tree with a mild liquid nutrient.

How To Propagate Rubber Plant in easy steps

Make Sure The Area Is Clean Before You Begin

Before you begin rubber plant pruning propagation, double-check that you have the whole of your equipment and supplies on hand. 

A cleaned surface location should be prepared beforehand seeing as the branches of the rubber plant leak a slimy, latex-rich white fluid when snipped.

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Make A Decision On Where You’ll Cut

Check for regions where development is inconsistent on your tree or where you’d want it to be thicker. You can also examine your tree to see where it may use minor trimming. Clippings can also be taken from leggy, extended stems, or branches.

Execute The Cuts

Using your sharpened scissors or trimming shears, execute a quick, slant cut right beneath the bottom leaf tip of the fresh cut.

Start Preparing The Clippings

Trim rubber tree lowest foliage out of every stem once you’ve obtained your clippings, leaving two to three foliage at the tip.

Plant The Clippings

  • Load a tiny plastic container halfway with growing medium (potting mix) and perlite, then mist using a spray bottle to keep it wet.
  • Now, make a tiny opening in the middle of the potting material and insert the clipping, but remember, every clipping should be treated with a rooting hormone before being planted. Also, make sure you conceal the visible nodes of your clippings with dirt.
  • To keep the clipping in position, tightly press the earth surrounding it.

Put It In A Sunny, Pleasant Spot, And Sit Tight

Avoid full exposure, which will encourage the foliage to scorch and your clippings to wilt and fade off. Your clipping should start growing roots within four to five weeks.

Leggy Rubber Plant fixes

Plants with legginess have minimal additional development and an irregular structure and are tall and fragile. This article will teach you all you have to know about the reasons for your leggy rubber tree and how to correct it quickly.

  1. When your rubber tree gets inadequate lighting, it will lead the tree to strain for exposure in order to synthesize vital tree sugars, leading to an abnormally tall but also leggy tree.

Solution; To solve the problem, relocate your tree to a new area with plenty of sunlight. Each few weeks, rotate your tree to ensure that all parts receive equal amounts of light and develop equally.

  1. When a high-nitrogen feed is used or, when you supply your rubber tree with excess nourishment than is required, your rubber tree’s development will be accelerated, resulting in a thick, tall, and fragile tree.

Solution; This issue is divided into two parts: over-fertilization and insufficient fertilization. Rubber trees want some regulated macronutrients to encourage the production of green cells, therefore stay away from high-nitrogen nutrients.

  1. Inappropriate growth environments can weaken your rubber tree and cause it’s leaves to fall off, particularly the lowest section of it’s mature leaves, which do not recover if shedded.

Solution; You may use a basic estimate to supply them with the appropriate warmth and moisture that you would want for yourself. Maintain a safe distance between your plant and vents.

Rubber Plants Losing Leaves

What’s the deal with your rubber plant’s leaf loss? The sort of damage to the leaves may reveal the source of the issue.

Habituation Or Acclimatization

Although rubber trees tend to lose leaves when transferred or when environmental circumstances change, nevertheless, they are strong after being planted. It’s best to prepare yourself for this and don’t make any more adjustments out of desperation.

In addition, rubber plant losing leaves happens while transferring your rubber plant outdoors for the warmer months and returning it in afterward.

Your rubber tree dropping leaves will quickly halt and the new sprout will commence if you place your plant in a sunny location and water it properly. Your plant might be out of function for 8 to 12 weeks.

Rubber plants, nonetheless, adapt well to outside light and warmth, and this shift usually leads to increased overall development.

Shock From The Cold

Rubber trees may be grown outside in USDA Zones 9b through 12. Although rubber trees are capable of tolerating a broad variety of conditions inside the home, they are really cold-sensitive.

When the temperature of your home drops below 7°C (45°F), your rubber tree will start to suffer, and too much sun can cause rubber tree plants to lose leaves. 

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Once the temperature drops, it is normal for your rubber plants to experience cold shock if they are outdoors or in an exposed region. If you preserve your tree warm as well as care for it properly, it will recuperate if it isn’t too badly harmed.

Signs Your Rubber Plant Is Dying

When you are able to accurately recognize the symptoms, as well as determine a likely reason for your dying rubber plant, the problem will be solved as a result of the cause.

The Lower Leaves Have Begun To Wilt

When the seasons shift from hot to the cold period (summer to winter), it’s common that your rubber tree shrub will drop leaves. If it is an excessive leaf loss, on the other hand, it indicates that something is wrong.

Another cause for your rubber plant to be cared for is withering or rubber plant losing leaves, which is similar to leaf loss. In most cases, the reason for this is a combination of temperature, light, moisture, and insect difficulties.

When it comes to the rubber tree, regulating the humidity just right is critical. Diffuse sunlight is ideal for rubber trees. Make sure your rubber tree isn’t plagued with insects or parasites.

On The Branch Of Your Rubber Tree, There Are White Chucks

Rigidoporus microporous , the scientific name for white root rot. Yes, there is an infection referred to as white root rot, which is similar to the white patches on the leaves and stems of your rubber tree.

White root rot is the result of a fungal infestation. Now, there are two stages to curing white root rot.

First and foremost, the infection must be discovered by growing newly cut grass next to your rubber plant’s roots. Your plant is suffering from root rot once you observe white threads below the grass.

The second stage is tackling the white root rot with fungicides such as quintozene, if your tree’s roots are not damaged.

However, you must proceed with the procedure of cutting back the rubber plant’s roots by trimming them if they are affected and if your rubber tree becomes sickly.

There Is No Fresh Growth

Despite your care and efforts, if you discover that for a long period, your rubber tree remains the same size and is no longer developing, this is a warning indication that you must pay attention to.

This might undoubtedly be attributed to the changing of seasons. Your plant, on the other hand, should exhibit symptoms of development in the appropriate season.

After your rubber plant was repotted, no fresh growth may be a coincidental occurrence. Leave the roots to simmer down if you recently repotted your tree, and you’ll notice it grows gradually.

How To Prune A Potted Rubber Plant FAQs

Q: When Should I Water My Rubber Plant?

It would be ideal if you watered your rubber tree each 5-6 days.

Q: What Is Causing The Yellowing Of The Leaves On My Rubber Tree Plant?

Inadequate moisture content in the soil is the most prevalent trigger of yellowing foliage on rubber trees.

Q: How Long Does A Rubber Plant Live?

The trees may survive for nearly a century, however, it takes 7 years for the very first yield.

Q: Where Should I Place My Rubber Plant?

Sunny, indirect sunshine is ideal for rubber plants.

Conclusion

We hope you have learned “How To Prune A Potted Rubber Plant“. If your rubber plant is strong, it will react much effectively when pruned.

Aside from regular rubber tree maintenance and trimming at the appropriate season, the important criteria outlined in this article will assist in making your plant tough enough to recover rapidly.