What Happens When the Rubber Plant's Leaves Fall Off at the Touch
A brief knowledge sharing, introducing why the leaves of the rubber plant fall off at the touch and teaching you the techniques for leaf dropping in green plant care. Please see the detailed introduction below.
The rubber plant, with its beautiful and thick leaves, is glossy and has a tropical charm, making it very popular. During the care process, you may notice that the rubber plant's leaves fall off. What's the reason? Three approaches can save it, making the leaves green and lush. Let's find out together!
1. Water and Fertilization Issues
Watering: Excessive watering can cause waterlogging and root rot, leading to leaf drop. Insufficient water, with the potting soil too dry, can cause the leaves to turn yellow and fall off.
Water the rubber plant when the soil feels dry, using methods like lifting the pot or inserting a stick to check. If the soil is dry, water thoroughly until water flows out from the bottom of the pot.
Fertilizing: Using concentrated or raw fertilizers can cause plant damage, burning the roots and leading to massive leaf drop. Insufficient nutrients, without timely fertilization, can result in poor growth, yellow leaves, and leaf drop.
If fertilizer damage occurs, promptly water with clear water to dilute and wash away the fertilizer, then place the plant in a cool, well-ventilated area to recover before resuming normal care. In case of nutrient deficiency, loosen the soil and bury an appropriate amount of slow-release fertilizer into the soil.
2. Environmental Issues
The rubber plant is shade-tolerant, but many people mistakenly believe that it can also thrive in a cool, shaded environment, leading to the plant not getting enough light, lacking photosynthesis, and failing to convert nutrients, resulting in leaf drop.
What Happens When the Rubber Plant's Leaves Fall Off at the Touch
The rubber plant is not cold-tolerant and prefers a warm, sunny, and well-ventilated growing environment, with a temperature range of 15-35℃ being ideal. Place it in the sun during the spring and autumn growing seasons. In the height of summer, keep it in a shaded area. In winter, move it to a brighter indoor area to avoid frost damage. When the temperature drops below 5 degrees, it will start to drop leaves.
3. Potting Soil Issues
Not repotting for a long time can lead to severe soil salinization, damaging the root structure, making the roots easily susceptible to damage. At the same time, water and nutrients cannot be fully absorbed, leading to a large amount of yellowing and leaf drop.
Repot during the appropriate season, cut off dead roots, and remove most of the old soil. Use 1 part decomposed leaf soil + 1 part garden soil + 1 part river sand, and add a small amount of basic fertilizer to create a growing medium. Replant the plant every 2 years and add a small amount of ferrous sulfate when watering regularly to prevent soil alkalization.
If your rubber plant at home is experiencing leaf drop, you can adjust the care methods based on the above situations. I hope this is helpful!
The content shared above about why the rubber plant's leaves fall off at the touch and the techniques for leaf dropping, I hope it is helpful to you!