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What to Do If Your Rubber Plant Grows Too Tall? Learn the Correct Way to Handle It

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For most plants, growing tall is a good thing, but sometimes when plants that shouldn't naturally grow tall do so, it's not such a good thing. For example, the rubber plant (Ficus elastica) can sometimes grow very, very tall, so what should you do then? We can simply cut it short from the top by pruning off the branches and leaves at the top, or we can pinch out its growing tips to control its growth, but the most important thing is to reduce the amount of fertilizer applied, so as to directly eliminate the possibility of it growing too tall through its nutrient supply.

1. Shortening (Cutting Back)

To be honest, it growing tall is not very common, which means this unusual situation needs to be dealt with, because if the plant grows relatively tall, its nutrients will be consumed, and problems will arise in its future growth.

So we need to prune off the branches and leaves at the top, which can control the speed of its vertical growth and encourage it to grow horizontally on its own. Of course, we don't need to worry that after cutting it back, its own growth will run into problems; as long as we can provide the water and fertilizer it needs, it will grow without any issues.

2. Pinching Out the Growing Tips

Pinching out its growing tips can also control its growth. After pinching, just let its height be roughly the same as the diameter of the flower pot; a bit shorter or taller can be adjusted according to your own preference, but it must not be allowed to grow too tall, otherwise it will consume a large amount of nutrients and make it difficult for it to grow normally.

3. Fertilizing

Generally speaking, applying too much fertilizer is the main reason it grows too tall, so when supplementing fertilizer, be sure to pay attention to the amount applied and the time interval between two applications, and don't let too much fertilizer accumulate in the soil. Of course, fertilizing and watering in the normal way are still indispensable operations, otherwise it won't grow too tall but will simply stop growing.

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