How to care for the rubber plant in winter? These four tips will help it overwinter safely
Because the rubber plant (Ficus elastica) has relatively weak cold tolerance, how to care for it in winter becomes a worry for many flower growers. Improper care may cause its leaves to drop frantically and may even make it difficult for the plant to resume growth the following spring. So how should it be cared for after winter begins? Let's take a look at winter care methods for the rubber plant.
Winter care methods for the rubber plant
1. Temperature
Undoubtedly, when managing the rubber plant in winter, the most important point is temperature. Above how many degrees should the temperature be kept for the rubber plant to overwinter smoothly? The answer is above 8°C. If the winter temperature in the area where you live is often below 0°C, pay attention to keeping it warm. Methods include moving it back indoors or covering it with plastic film.
2. Light intensity
Many flower growers move the rubber plant indoors in winter. This can control the temperature well, but because the light intensity differs somewhat from outdoors, you need to reasonably increase light at this time. In winter care methods for the rubber plant, you should ensure it can receive direct light or scattered light in winter.
3. Watering strategy
Generally speaking, watering the rubber plant should be reduced in winter, and it is more suitable to let the soil be appropriately on the dry side. If the indoor air is relatively dry, you can spray some water around the plant. On the one hand, this can keep the soil moist, and it can also keep the humidity moderate.
4. Stop fertilizing
Many animals enter dormancy in winter, and the rubber plant actually does the same. When the temperature is low, its growth stalls, so its demand for fertilizer is not as high as during the growing season. Therefore, fertilizing is generally not needed in winter. This point was emphasized in the rubber plant's cultivation methods.
Notes on growing the rubber plant in winter
1. Although the rubber plant can overwinter smoothly when the temperature is above 8°C, to be on the safe side, the temperature is best kept above 10°C to avoid frost damage to the rubber plant from lower nighttime temperatures.
2. When moving the rubber plant indoors to keep it warm, do not place it in a dark corner. Do not assume that because it is dormant it does not need sufficient light, otherwise its originally emerald leaves will turn yellow.
3. Although the rubber plant should be watered less in winter, this does not mean not watering it even once the entire winter. When the temperature is relatively high, it can be watered in moderation. Especially as spring is about to begin, moderate watering can help the rubber plant quickly resume growth.
How to care for flowers and plants during the White Dew period
Flowers that bloom from autumn to Spring Festival should have fertilizer and water management strengthened
In autumn, start controlling the amount of water given to flowers and plants at the right time, and stop fertilizing
How should flowers and plants be cared for during the White Dew period? In autumn, caring for flowers and plants is especially important. In autumn, you should start controlling the amount of water given to flowers and plants at the right time and stop fertilizing, so as to avoid root rot from too much water and leggy branches and leaves from too much fertilizer, which affect overwintering. In addition, they should be placed in a sunny place. Remember to prune flowers and plants frequently in autumn. Only in this way can they overwinter better in winter. Come and follow the editor to learn about the points to note in flower and plant care during the White Dew period.
1. Flower and plant care during the White Dew period: timely light
Some light-loving woody flowers that bloom in summer, such as jasmine, Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), and orange jasmine (Murraya paniculata), should still be placed in a sunny place so the plants can fully receive light, promoting the maturation of current-year branches and helping them overwinter safely. Potted flowers that bloom around the Spring Festival, such as azalea, clivia (Clivia miniata), cyclamen, poinsettia, and Christmas cactus, should also be placed in a sunny place and receive full sun, otherwise flowering will be delayed or they may not bloom at all. Generally, foliage plants are more shade-tolerant, so some light can be provided appropriately.
2. Flower and plant care during the White Dew period: timely moving indoors
This can be handled separately according to different varieties of flowers and plants. Warm-loving flowers and trees such as Chinese hibiscus, poinsettia, begonia, cyclamen, jasmine, coleus, and monstera should be moved indoors when the temperature is 10°C; spider plant, asparagus fern, cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), dwarf umbrella tree (Schefflera arboricola), and rubber plant should also be moved indoors when the temperature is 5°C.
3. Flower and plant care during the White Dew period: timely water and fertilizer
Start controlling the amount of water given to flowers and plants at the right time and stop fertilizing, so as to avoid root rot from too much water and leggy branches and leaves from too much fertilizer, which affect overwintering. Flowers that bloom around the Spring Festival, such as cyclamen, clivia, Christmas cactus, and azalea, have already passed the dormancy period and begun to enter the peak growing season, so from autumn to Spring Festival flowering, fertilizer and water management should be strengthened, and phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can be appropriately increased to help flower bud formation.
In autumn, start controlling the amount of water given to flowers and plants at the right time, and stop fertilizing
In autumn, start controlling the amount of water given to flowers and plants at the right time, and stop fertilizing
4. Flower and plant care during the White Dew period: timely pruning
Except for flowers that bloom in early spring, most flowers and plants such as jasmine, crape myrtle, and pomegranate can be pruned and shaped in autumn. This can reduce nutrient consumption in winter and encourage potted flowers to bloom more the following year. When pruning, remove diseased branches, dead branches, overly dense branches, and leggy branches, laying a good foundation for potted flowers to overwinter.
5. Flower and plant care during the White Dew period: timely propagation
As autumn arrives and the temperature gradually drops, some biennial flowers such as pansy, dianthus, cineraria, and hollyhock are at a good time for sowing. After sowing, pay attention to spraying water and keeping the soil moist. Some woody flowers are suitable for autumn cuttings, such as Chinese rose, geranium, and jasmine; the survival rate of autumn cuttings is relatively high. For perennial flowers that grow densely and need division, such as tree peony and herbaceous peony, divide and propagate them in time. For flowers that bloom around the Spring Festival, such as hyacinth, tulip, and amaryllis, hurry to pot them.
How to ensure flowers and plants overwinter safely? Common taboos in winter flower care
Winter can be described as the season flower growers dislike most. Falling temperatures and reduced sunlight make it hard for many flowers and plants to get through the harsh winter. How can you ensure flowers and plants overwinter safely? Different types of flowers and plants have different growth habits, and different management measures should be taken to ensure they overwinter safely.
1. Cold protection and warmth retention
In winter, evergreen flowers that like warmth or are still growing in winter can be placed near a south-facing window to ensure more sufficient sunlight and a higher temperature. Cold-intolerant evergreen woody flowers should be kept away from frequently opened doors and windows to avoid cold wind invasion and frost damage to the plants. If the temperature at home is low, you can make some simple insulation facilities to help the plants withstand the cold and overwinter smoothly.
(1) Make an insulation cover. Use wire to form an arched frame around the pot rim that is slightly larger than the flower's crown width, then cover the plant together with the pot using plastic film. Do not let the leaves stick to the film wall. Then, poke a few small holes in the plastic film cover to facilitate ventilation and air exchange. If the weather is especially cold, a double-layer film cover can be used for insulation, and the insulation effect is remarkable. This is suitable for Aglaia odorata, white Michelia alba, and jasmine, as shown for the kalanchoe.
(2) Use a pot-in-pot method for insulation. Use a slightly larger flowerpot, fill it with some insulation material or put soil in it, and nest the pot containing the flower inside the large pot.
2. Increasing humidity and preventing dust
Indoor air is dry in winter. Flowers that like humid environments, such as asparagus fern, orchid, clivia, Aglaia odorata, camellia, monstera, and calla lily, if kept in a dry environment for a long time, will develop dry leaf tips, dry edges, shedding, and yellowing leaf color, so the air humidity must be increased manually.
① Avoid placing potted flowers too close to heating.
② Frequently spray and wash the branches and leaves with warm water close to room temperature. Spray water around noon on sunny days (spraying in the evening easily causes cold damage to flowers); while spraying, keep indoor air circulating.
③ For humidity-loving orchids, clivia, Michelia alba, azalea (pictured), camellia, etc., plastic film can be used to cover the potted flowers to increase and maintain air humidity, which helps prevent dust and cold damage.
④ Mix 1 part beer with 2-5 times water, dip a fine gauze cloth in it and gently wipe the leaf surface of foliage plants, or use a sprayer to spray the front and back sides of the leaves, making the leaves dark green and bright.
3. Fertilizer and water management
In winter, most plants grow slowly or are semi-dormant, and their nutrient absorption capacity declines, so fertilizer and water supply should be reduced. Do not water if the potting soil is not dry; stop fertilizing or apply thin fertilizer. Too much water can cause root rot and death, and concentrated fertilizer can easily cause fertilizer damage and death. Cactus plants should not be fertilized in winter.
4. Control temperature
In winter, indoor temperature is generally 16-20°C. Tropical and subtropical flowers should have watering controlled, otherwise they are prone to root rot and death. Temperate flowers can be managed normally.
The taboos for flower care in winter are as follows:
(1) Avoid indoor temperatures that are too high
The temperature for flowers that need dormancy should be controlled at 4-8°C and must not exceed 10°C. If the temperature is too high, it is unfavorable for the next year's growth. Examples include Aglaia odorata, gardenia (pictured), jasmine, orange, wintersweet, fig, pomegranate, Chaenomeles speciosa, honeysuckle, winter jasmine, Cymbidium goeringii, and Cymbidium faberi.
(2) Avoid excessive fertilizer and water
Flowers need very little fertilizer and water during dormancy. Dormant flowers do not need fertilizing in winter; fertilizing may damage the flower roots.
(3) Avoid dry air
The dry environment in the north affects the growth of flowers. Methods such as spraying water on leaves and sprinkling water on the ground should be used to increase humidity. Flowers that need higher air humidity include camellia, azalea, orchid, spider plant, asparagus fern, Michelia alba, Chinese hibiscus, cyclamen, jasmine, rubber plant, monstera, Aglaia odorata, banana shrub (Michelia figo), Pittosporum tobira, and cactus plants.
(4) Avoid insufficient light
There should be at least more than 3 h of light every day so that flowers can grow robustly the following year. Even leafless woody flowers should see sunlight and must not be kept in dark places for a long time.
The above is the winter care of flowers and plants compiled by the Huinong website editor. Flower growers must study it carefully so their own flowers and plants can overwinter safely.