Learn how to grow rubber plant bushy and make this beautiful houseplant even more attractive with this detailed guide.
Rubber plants are a popular indoor houseplant. they are usually medium in size but, if given time and space to grow, can grow to a small tree size.
Pruning of rubber trees is usually not very necessary. be sure to remove dead and dying leaves and prune your rubber tree so that it grows to the size you like.
Before you begin pruning, consider whether you want your rubber plant to have a slender, upright look or a low, bushy look.
Trim Your Rubber Plants
Remove dead leaves and branches any time of year: As with any indoor plant, remove any dead or dying leaves and stems from your rubber plant bushy.
This will improve the overall appearance of the rubber plants and keep the plant in good health. You can use your fingers to remove dead leaves in any season.
You may need to use a pair of pruning shears to cut away the dead branches. dead leaves will be yellow in color and they may sag or dry up.
Dead leaves are brown, and often shriveled and blackened. size you like. before you begin pruning, consider whether you want your rubber plant to have a slender, upright look or a low, bushy look.
Do any large pruning in late spring or early summer: Rubber plant bushy are generally hearty and if you prune them in other seasons, there will probably be no ill effects.
However, for the health of the plant, do most pruning in early summer. Major pruning includes any pruning that goes beyond the removal of already dead leaves and stems.
If you need to prune a rubber tree in winter or autumn, limit yourself to small pruning cuts.
Wear gloves while pruning: Rubber tree sap is sticky, and will begin to ooze out of your cut when trimming the branches.
To prevent the sticky juices from getting on your fingers, wear a pair of gloves while trimming. Canvas work gloves will suffice, as will rubber dishwashing gloves.
Cut off the rubber plant branches just above the nodes: A node is the location where a smaller stem grows from a larger root stem.
So, if you’re pruning a main stem, cut it just above where a smaller stem branches out. in this way, you can avoid damaging the stems that bear the small leaves.
Trim the rubber plant with a sharp pair of pruning shears: These will easily penetrate the rubber tree branches and prevent the stems from tearing or snapping.
If you have a young rubber plant bushy with thin stems, you can prune it using a pair of sharp shears. In a pinch, you can use a sharp kitchen knife to trim the plant.
Unlike other types of plants (such as roses) which need to trim the branches at an angle, you can cut the branches of rubber trees straight.
Don’t over prune the rubber tree: If you cut off too many leaves and branches of the rubber plant, it will not be able to photosynthesize and may die.
So, make sure you leave at least 2-3 leaves at all times. also remember that regrowing leaves is easier for plants than regrowing branches.
Avoid removing more than 5 or 6 live branches in a single pruning session. If you have a large rubber tree, you should leave 6-7 leaves after pruning thoroughly.
Repot your rubber plant to allow it to grow in size: If you want to give your rubber plant more room to spread out its roots, place it in a larger container.
Each time you repot your rubber plant, move it to a pot about one inch larger than the previous pot.
Also remember to always plant your rubber tree in a pot with holes in the bottom for drainage.
Remember, as the roots grow, the rubber tree will also start to grow taller.
Propagate your rubber plants by cuttings: If you want to start a second rubber plant in a separate container or if a friend or family member wants to start a rubber plant of their own you can do so with a cutting.
Take off a large, healthy leaf or a generous cutting, such as a medium branch. allow the wet sap to dry, and insert the sappy end of the cutter about two inches deep into the soil.
Place a warm heating pad under the pot for the first week to help the cutting root.
The Size of Your Rubber Plant Bushy
Decide on a shape for your rubber plants: Rubber trees can have 1 of 2 forms: tall and slender, or short and bushy.
Based on the space you are placing the plant in and your own personal taste, choose which shape you want the plant to be.
For example, if your rubber plant is on a shelf that doesn’t have much room to grow upwards, you may want to give the plant a small, round shape.
Or, if your tree is in a large room with high ceilings, the tree may look better with a tall, slender shape.
Trim unruly or unsightly branches to keep the tree looking tidy: Since rubber plant are kept indoors, you’ll want the plant to look presentable.
If any branches are growing in an odd direction or too fast, trim them back to improve the rubber tree’s overall appearance.
You can trim the branches or leaves to your personal preference without making the rubber tree look too dense or cluttered. always throw trimmings in the trash can.
Cut off the top of your plant when it reaches the desired height: Once your rubber tree has reached the height you want it to be, trim the leaves off the top of the plant.
This will prevent the rubber plant from producing more vertical shoots and encourage it to grow more horizontally. So, if you want a low, rubber plant bushy,
Try cutting the top off when it’s about 4-5 feet. be aware that if you don’t cut off the upper leaves or leaves on your rubber plant, it will continue to grow. the rubber tree can grow up to 10 feet.
Prune the branches more often if you want a bushier plant: Every time you prune a branch of a rubber plant bushy, the plant will grow two or more new branches from the stump.
This makes your rubber tree thicker and easier to bush Continue to prune the side branches of the tree until it is as thick and bushy as you like.
Conclusion
However, if you want your rubber plants to stay tall and thin, only prune branches when strictly necessary. From the above analysis,
We can clearly understand that if rubber plant care is done regularly, it increases the beauty of our yard and house many times and protects the balance of the environment to a large extent.
So we can take care of the plant easily with little effort.
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