How to keep the rubber plant green all year round
Main content introduction: Related information about rubber plant cultivation at home, how to keep the rubber plant green all year round, keep reading!
The rubber plant, also known as Indian rubber plant, belongs to the mulberry family of evergreen trees. It has an open crown, smooth trunk and branches with latex. The leaves are elliptical or oblong, deep green, leathery, large and thick, with a shiny luster. To maintain the green leaf color all year round, it is necessary to do a good job in fertilization and watering (G-Y), pruning and shaping in the maintenance management.
The rubber plant prefers high temperatures and sunlight, with an optimal growth temperature of 25 to 30 degrees. When the temperature exceeds 33 degrees, it should be moved to a cool and ventilated place and sprayed with water to cool down. Although it likes light, it is afraid of the strong sunlight exposure in the severe summer of the north, at which time it needs to be moved to a shady or semi-lit place with indoor ventilation.
For potting, a mixture of 4 parts of decomposed leaf soil or peat soil, 4 parts of garden soil, and 2 parts of river sand can be used as the growing medium, with a small amount of bone meal or cake fertilizer residue as the base fertilizer. Sufficient fertilization and watering conditions are needed during the growing season to ensure robust growth and green leaves. Water once a day in general, keeping the potting soil moist, water twice a day in summer, early morning and evening, keeping the potting soil moist, and spray water on the leaves frequently, otherwise the leaf edges are prone to scorch. When the temperature reaches 20 degrees or above, apply a thin cake fertilizer or compound chemical fertilizer, mainly nitrogenous, once or twice a month.
Cultivating medium and small-sized varieties of rubber plants is recommended. Therefore, when the plant reaches a height of about 1 meter, it can be topped at 60 to 70 centimeters high in early spring to promote the growth of lateral branches. Then, each spring, the lateral branches can be pruned appropriately to regenerate new branches. When pruning, it is necessary to immediately cover the cut with soil or apply charcoal powder to prevent excessive loss of sap and dehydration. Seedlings should be repotted every other year. For mature plants over 5 years old, it is best to transplant them into wooden barrels, applying liquid fertilizer 3 to 5 times a year. In the north, they are usually moved indoors from mid to late October, and placed in a sunny spot after entering the room, maintaining an overwintering temperature of over 10 degrees. If the temperature drops below 3 degrees, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off. In addition, during the seedling stage, it is important to regularly change the potting direction, otherwise the plant will grow in one direction, affecting its ornamental value. Propagation of rubber plants can be done by cutting and high-stem layering.
The above is a detailed introduction to how to keep the rubber plant green all year round. Did you get it?