Prune the rubber plant at the right spot: 3 new shoots in 1 week, and it grows into a big green ball in 1 year

Cut the rubber plant at this spot and 3 new shoots will sprout in 1 week, growing into a big "green ball" in 1 year

Growing flowers at home has become an indispensable part of many people's lives. Keeping some green potted plants on the balcony and in the living room not only purifies the air and greens up the home, but also lets people enjoy the view and relieve fatigue. It truly serves multiple purposes with many benefits.

Placing various larger potted flowers in a spacious indoor living room really shows the owner's taste and bearing. Today we are talking about the rubber plant (Ficus elastica), which many people like. The rubber plant is a common woody plant with large, emerald-green leaves that feel very textured to the touch. The plant stays evergreen all year round, and in the north it needs to be kept indoors in winter. The rubber plant is a very easy-to-grow houseplant and is not picky about its growing environment and conditions. But there is one thing: for a woody plant like the rubber plant, if you want it to produce more side shoots and grow a rounder, fuller shape, you need to pay attention to methods and techniques in your daily care.

Key technique: Prune the terminal buds of the plant in early summer and late summer to remove apical dominance!

If you want the rubber plant to grow more side shoots, pruning is a must. For a woody plant like the rubber plant, apical dominance is very obvious. That is, the terminal branches absorb most of the nutrients and grow taller and taller, while the growth of the side branches is inhibited and slow, and in the end the plant grows tall, thin and sparse.

So prune the rubber plant in early summer and late summer to remove apical dominance. Use scissors to cut at the position of 3 leaves from the terminal bud, so that the plant's nutrients stop being transported to the top and are distributed evenly to each side shoot, promoting the growth of side shoots. This pruning method also needs to be combined with reasonable pruning timing. The best time is early summer and late summer, because early summer is exactly when the plant grows rapidly, and after pruning in late summer, autumn arrives, which is also a period of rapid plant growth. After pruning in these two periods, new shoots grow extremely fast. Basically, within a week after cutting, three new branches will burst out.

Of course, besides pruning, if you want the rubber plant to grow well, you need to pay attention to the following two points in daily care:

Fertilizing:

For the rubber plant after pruning, if you want it to grow quickly, you must supplement fertilizer. Only with enough nutrients can it grow new shoots. It is recommended to apply a quick-acting compound fertilizer, which has an obvious effect and sufficient fertilizer efficiency.

2. Light:

The rubber plant likes light. When grown indoors, it is best to place it in a sunny spot. For example, a south-facing balcony gets plenty of light in the morning, which helps new shoots sprout.

That is a little knowledge about growing rubber plants at home. If you find it useful, please like, follow, and share it with more friends below!

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