When and How to Prune a Rubber Tree Plant

Of their pure atmosphere, rubber bushes, Ficus elastica, can develop over 100 ft tall.

They may by no means develop anyplace close to that enormous when grown as houseplants, however that doesn’t imply they will’t use some shaping and containment at times.

Pruning can provide an outside tree some form or you’ll be able to assist encourage branching in a houseplant that has grown a bit leggy.

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The method of pruning permits you to take away any sick or broken branches, or regenerate a rubber fig that has been uncared for. So regardless of the dimensions or situation of your plant, somewhat trimming could be so as.

Our information to rising rubber bushes has all the information you might want to domesticate these spectacular crops in your house.

On this information, we’re going to give attention to pruning for well being and look.

Listed below are the subjects we’ll cowl:

Earlier than we speak in regards to the course of, you could be curious why you ought to be trimming within the first place. Right here’s why:

Why Prune Rubber Timber?

You don’t must prune F. elastica, these crops can go years with none trimming and shall be simply tremendous.

When grown indoors, rubber bushes can grow to be leggy, with lengthy stretches of stems or branches that lack foliage.

If you wish to make your plant bushier, pruning it again can encourage branching and new foliar development to fill in these naked areas.

You can too prune to maintain the F. elastica at a manageable dimension in your house or yard.

Aside from pruning for dimension, trimming away any branches which are diseased, infested by pests, deformed, or damaged, is useful to maintain the plant wholesome and looking out its finest.

Preparation

Earlier than you get began, you’ll want to decide on an appropriate pruning instrument.

A pair of secateurs, just like the Felco F-2, is ideal for houseplants or average dimension outside specimens. For bigger bushes it’s possible you’ll want loppers or a tree pruner.

You’ll additionally have to put on gloves and a long-sleeved shirt, as rubber figs exude sap that may be extremely irritating to your pores and skin.

If the plant you’re working with may be very tall and also you’ll be working overhead, put on protecting goggles and keep away from standing straight beneath the place you make your cuts.

Once you’ve chosen your pruning instrument, you might want to clear it completely earlier than use.

When you don’t clear your instruments, you run the danger of spreading pests and illness, and the very last thing you need is to contaminate your newly trimmed tree.

I exploit a ten % bleach answer (one half bleach to 9 components water) to wipe down my instruments.

As well as, seize some isopropyl alcohol and preserve it helpful when you work, as a result of the sap can gum up your instrument and you will want to wipe it down commonly between cuts.

When to Work

If you’re rising your F. elastica indoors, you’ll be able to prune everytime you want.

Nevertheless, each for indoor and outside specimens, winter is finest as a result of the plant is dormant throughout this time.

Or reasonably, as is the case with many tropical evergreens, it’s in a semi-dormant state through the colder months.

It’s best to prune when crops are dormant for a lot of causes.

Pathogens and pests are normally much less of an issue than through the rising season and the plant is much less more likely to be traumatized by the work you’re doing.

Having stated that, if you happen to discover diseased or pest-infested branches that have to go, lower these off everytime you see them.

The opposite exception is in case you are trimming solely to encourage branching. This may be completed every time the plant is actively rising.

The right way to Prune

Earlier than you make the primary lower, look intently at your plant and determine the leaf nodes. These are little bumps the place the leaves emerge from the stem.

You wish to make your entire cuts a few quarter of an inch above these leaf nodes and at a slight angle so any water runs off of it reasonably than remaining in place and attracting pathogens.

Begin by eradicating any stems or leaves which are diseased, broken, infested with pests, in addition to any branches rubbing towards one another.

Once you’ve trimmed off any that may’t be saved, step again and take a look at the plant, noting any areas which are wanting leggy or missing in foliage.

If there’s an space that’s skinny, lower the department barely beneath that space so the brand new development grows up into and fills it in. If you wish to encourage outward, bushy development, lower the highest off of the stems.

Make any extra cuts you might want to give the plant the form you need.

By no means take away greater than a 3rd or so of the plant at a time. You wish to depart sufficient foliage behind that the plant can nonetheless photosynthesize and develop.

Form Up!

Most crops want pruning to some extent. With rubber figs, it’s about offering some form and sustaining their well being.

I’m all the time stunned after I perform a little pruning at how a lot better my crops look. It’s like I get used to their imperfection and don’t understand how fairly they are often with some further care.

What’s your motivation for pruning? Is your plant somewhat leggy or sick? Are you making an attempt to create a distinct form? Tell us the small print within the feedback part beneath.

And for extra details about rising and caring for rubber bushes, take a look at these guides subsequent:

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