This plant likes well-drained soil, and the pebbles will help with that.
If you don’t want to make your own mix, look for a potting soil that has the same ratio, or one meant for foliage plants. [3] X Research source Outside, the plant will do well in most soils, though a slightly acidic soil may be best. [4] X Research source
Don’t go below 55 °F (13 °C) for this plant.
You could also place it in a room that gets a lot of ambient sunlight without it directly hitting the plant.
You can find a map of US hardiness zones at http://planthardiness. ars. usda. gov/PHZMWeb/.
For instance, in the southern areas of the US, the wind typically blows from the south or west, so place the tree on the north or east side of the building.
You’ll need at least 3 to 5 inches (7. 6 to 12. 7 cm) of stem with 2 to 3 nodes on it. The node is where the leaves attach to the stem. Wear gloves to work with this plant, as the sap can affect your skin. To sterilize a sharp knife, place it in a mixture of 1 part bleach and 3 parts water. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
Once the roots have reached 1 to 2 inches (2. 5 to 5. 1 cm), you can move it to regular potting soil and a bigger pot.
Wait until the seed has roots before you move it. Be very gentle with it, as seedlings are fragile.
You can also check the soil by sticking your finger in it to see if it’s moist. If it’s dry, add water. Give it lukewarm water. Let water come to room temperature if it’s cold from the tap. That also lets the chlorine evaporate. Cold water can be shocking to the plant.
Outside, give the plant a good 5-minute soaking if conditions have been dry and the leaves are drooping.
Use lukewarm water on your plant.
Try a typical 24-8-16 fertilizer, which refers to the mixture of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash, respectively. Mix 1⁄4 teaspoon (1. 2 ml) with 1 gallon (3. 8 L) of water. Water the plant as you normally would with this fertilizer. [16] X Research source
When these plants are pruned, they’ll drip sap, so put something down to protect your floors. [18] X Research source The sap can also irritate your skin, so avoid it or wear gloves. These plants can grow to 10 to 12 feet (3. 0 to 3. 7 m) indoors, so make sure you trim it when you want it to stop growing. You can also prune outdoor trees this way to help keep them an acceptable height. [19] X Research source It’s best prune during the spring and summer, but you can do it anytime of year. You can prune off dead or dying leaves as they appear on the plant.
Use pruning shears or a hand saw to cut the other stems down to the ground.
The water is actually good for your plant, but don’t use any cleaning product on it, as your plant will not enjoy that.
You may also notice the plant becomes leggy. Leggy just means the plant is stretching its stem out too to reach the light, making it look long and straggly.
Only water the rubber tree when the leaves look a little droopy.
For the first couple of years, re-pot the plant once a year. After that, you can replant every 3 years or when it becomes root bound. [26] X Research source To re-pot the plant, add soil to the bottom of the new pot. Grasp the plant by the stem, and pull it out of the old pot, roots, soil, and all. Set it in the new pot. Surround it with soil until you reach the top edge of the soil from the old pot. Give the plant some water.
