Although easy to grow , pencil eraser plants can be nit - picky about their watering requisite . They ’ll probably cast off leaves if you keep the dirt commixture either too crocked or too dry . If you ’ve decide to add aFicus elasticato your houseplant collection , it ’s important to assure you ’re irrigate it properly .
Rubber plants prefer grime to remain steady moist but NEVER sozzled . For a consistent lachrymation docket , check the soil often using a wet meter or your finger . When the top 1 - 2 inch of the soil is ironical , it ’s time to irrigate your rubber eraser plant .
Of course , that ’s easier said than done . That ’s why I put together this pragmatic scout to help you get a good feel for how much and how frequently to irrigate your rubber plant right .
I ’ve also included ready to hand watering baksheesh and secernate signs your plant needs a drink . Also , attend ahead for how to recognize the dreaded symptom of an overwatered rubber plant .
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Factors That Impact Rubber Plant Watering Frequency
[1] Seasons
As with most aboriginal tropics , Ficus elasticaneeds more water during the growth period ( from early saltation through summertime ) than when it ’s not actively growing , usually during wintertime and fall .
When the chill disappears and the weather bulge to warm up , bounce cleaning is n’t the only matter that set things buzzing . Your safety plant also make out the warmth .
warmth encourages them to take a hop back to life and start get , with the correspondent pauperization for resources ask for optimal development .
You will notice that the soil mixture dry out out faster than before during summertime and spring , and with good reason . Firstly , your gum elastic plant uses up more piddle during this growth spirt .
It ’s not only call for for photosynthesis but also facilitate ship food wherever they ’re needed .
Secondly , the higher temperatures cause moisture to evaporate more quick from the potting soil .
Thirdly , synthetic rubber plants fall behind more moisture during red-hot weather from the leave through increased level of transpiration , evaporation , and cellular respiration .
So , it ’s crucial to monitor soil moisture more closely during this full stop . break the soil moisture every four to five days or rather .
weewee again as shortly as the top one to two inch are dry or crumbly . If the surface soil is still fairly damp , tick off back after a twenty-four hours or two .
The opposite is true come fall and winter , which is when your rubber works start out to slow things down .
It does n’t love cold , and it ’ll respond accordingly by reduce growth , sometimes to a head of dormancy late into the chilly winter season .
The land will also stay damp for longer . That ’s because your works capture less amount of natural sunshine during this period , result in less photosynthesis . In turn , less water is take for transpiration and respiration .
The bad thing you’re able to do is give your rubber plant too much water when , in fact , it does n’t need much of it . Theexcess soil damp advance base rotand other disease .
WhileFicus elasticaplants can flower , they seldom blossom as houseplants . Instead , they put out centre - catching bright red to Burgundy wine spathes that finally unfastened to reveal novel leave .
These sheaths will get detached and fall off once the new foliage unfurls .
The germination of new spathe often coincides with when galosh plants would start bloom in their native tropic timber .
Put otherwise , this typically come in spring and continues throughout summer , call for more watering to compensate for increase activity .
[2] Size of The Plant
Rubber plant life are fairly fast growers and you ’ll have to repot it once every year until it reach mature growth of 6 - 10 foot . indoors .
Each large , glossy oblong leaf your plant produces is a beehive of activeness . The chlorophyll ( fleeceable paint ) use light to turn water and carbon copy dioxide into nutrients and vigour .
It ’s quite a sight to see how your natural rubber tree plant turn any blot in your elbow room into riotous verdure .
That means the larger your flora gets , the more water it ’ll need to churn out nutrient , respire , and grow more robustly .
( generator : Clemson University ) .
[3] Temperature
Like most tropic plant , your prophylactic plant like the affectionate side of things . well-nigh all cultivars of this hobo camp evergreen plant thrive when temperatures are in the range of 60 - 80ºF ( 15 - 26 ° C ) .
They choose the higher end of the temperature range during the day for optimal growth .
As noted before , warmer temperatures not only cause the potting soil to dry out tight but also encourage growing . So be sure to increase watering as require when temperature are on the toasty side .
During winter when temperatures start to drop , you must deoxidise water frequence consequently .
However , check that that temporary do n’t dead dip below 55 ° F ( 13 ° C ) , especially when it ’s draughty . This may do your ficus elastica to send packing leaves .
If it does pour forth leaves , stop watering until you see signal of new development . But wait until the top 1 - 2 ” of dirt has dried out a bit to avoid pay for rot disease .
[4] Humidity
Because of their tropical nature , rubber works do good in humid environments . They tend to misplace more moisture to transpiration . you may think of it as the room you and I suffer moisture through sweating and ventilation .
If the air around your genus Ficus industrial plant is juiceless and drafty ( commonly during winter ) , it ’ll get athirst sooner rather than later . As such , you must see to it the land moisture and water more ofttimes .
[5] Location of The Plant
Sitting in a brilliantly lit or hotter spot can make you mighty thirsty , and the same is unfeigned of your rubber plant . It prefers to be park in an surface area that receives bright , indirect light .
If it ’s located in a windowpane with blazing or gay southern or westerly exposure , you will have to water it more often . Likewise , you must give your plant more water if it ’s in a dry , drafty area , perhaps in the itinerary of hot draft or near a fireplace .
[6] Type of Pot
I ’m a big fan of garden pots made from holey materials like terracotta , glassless ceramic , or clay . They encourage fast - drying of soil through permeable walls and creates a humid microclimate for my rubber plants .
Nonetheless , that does n’t counter the fact that the soil dry out fast , so you ’ll need to double down on the tearing relative frequency , as well .
If your rubber plant is potted in a glass , glazed ceramic , or charge plate container , the soil will likely remain dampish for longer .
That ’s because these material are inferior when it amount to permeability . For this reason , you must ease up on watering , lest the soil becomes soggy and root bunkum sets in .
All golosh plant flowerpot must have drain holes in the bottom , disregardless of the fabric . This will assist run out perched water system , as prophylactic plants do n’t wish standing in stagnant water or so - telephone “ wet foot ” .
The more the drain holes , the sooner the filth will dry out . That also understand to a higher watering frequency .
[7] Size of the Pot
The pot roleplay as a reservoir for your Ficus elastica . If the pot is too small for your plant , the land ’s content for holding water is circumscribed . That way , the territory dry out very quickly , postulate unconstipated watering .
The container should play off the size of your rubber plant to ensure even soil wet . Ideally , there should be about an inch of potting soil around your rubber plant .
A container that ’s too large for your works will retain wet for longer . In a worst - case scenario , localized squashy domain may develop in areas where the roots do n’t get hold of . normally , around the edge and in the bottom .
[8] Type of Potting Mix
You know how important the right potting dirt is for your plant . Your rubber plant is actually tolerant of most grunge types . In fact , any tight - drain potting commixture will do just fine , be it clay , sand , or loam .
The overarching requirement is that aFicus elasticadoesn’t like its feet crocked . But the drain and water retention capability of the potting mix will define how often you should irrigate it .
If the soil is constitutional - rich and retains piddle for longer , you should be deliberate not to overwater your flora . This puts it at peril of diseases , such as jacket crown , fore , and root rot .
If the soil is free - drain with gamey capacity of guts , vermiculite , perlite , etc . , you ’ll require to increase irrigation frequency to avert the pot mix from drying out whole .
How Do You Know If a Rubber Plant Needs Watering?
Now that you ’re familiar with factors that dissemble the lachrymation frequency , you must also know how to spot an underwatered rubber plant life .
[1] Test Moisture Level using your Finger or Stick
The easiest and most reliable method to have a go at it if your plant life is thirsty is to check the grime moisture every 4 - 5 days after lacrimation . You do n’t have to endue in an expensive setup when you could use a stick or your fingerbreadth .
When your prophylactic plant is n’t actively mature during autumn and winter , the potting mix may take foresightful than a workweek to dry out out . Be patient . The last thing you require is to kill your treasured Ficus with too much of a good thing !
[2] Potting Soil Color
This one is a no - brainer — moist grunge ordinarily takes a dark hue . ironic territory , on the other script , is typically greyish and lighter in color .
If the grime is too damp , this will underpin the growth of mold , mildew , and other fungi . This will come out as a moldy cover on the airfoil of the soil . This may also be a fearful sign of root rot due to overwatering or waterlogged potting mix .
[3] Wilting or Drooping Leaves
rubber eraser plants sport spritely oversized lush , perky leafage with impregnable veins . They slant upward in a graceful gait . When you notice that they are wilt and drooping , that ’s one of the earliest signs your Ficus elastica is athirst .
wilt oftentimes lead off with down / quondam leaves . This is a natural survival tactic whereby your plant favors raw leaf over older ace when resource are scarce .
[4] Brown Leaf Tips
Do the tips of your rubber flora ’s leaves appear cauterize or crinkle up ? Dried out and brown leafage hint and edges are a telltale signboard that your flora is very athirst .
[5] Leaves Wrinkled
When heavily dehydrated , leaves lose a lot of water and contract , take shape line on the foliage open . In fact , when the exposed outer layer of the leave-taking starts to pucker , that ’s a clear reading that you need to irrigate your caoutchouc plant .
[6] Leaves Turning Brown or Yellow
If the evaporation go is longer than usual , you ’ll likely find dying or dead foliation . Perhaps you went on vacation and your supporter or house - sitter left the soil to dry out out completely .
brown or yellow leaf rather of plush , glossy green leaf with a burgundy hint is another sign of an underwatered rubber plant .
[7] Leaves Drying Out and Falling off
One of the first foretoken to appear due to underwatering is dry , crispy leave . They do so due to loss of turgor pressure because your plant is n’t getting enough water from the soil . finally , the leave will dry out up , wilt , and fall off .
You must first rule out other potential culprit of leave of absence fall off . Rubber plants may naturally spill older leave . But cold order of payment , low-toned spark , lack of humidness , and sudden change can result in the same .
[8] Measure the Weight of The Pot
Not the most reliable way , but a light pot may indicate that your rubber plant require a drink . Carefully revoke or weigh your flora mighty after watering to get a sense of its weight when well - watered .
[9] Use Moisture Meter
This is by all odds the most effective mode to ensure a reproducible watering routine for your rubber plant . To get more value for your money , I suggest that you invest in a quality multi - function m that can read grime wet , as well as humidness , temperature , and other growth parameters .
[10] Use an App
It ’s important to check on your rubber plants once a workweek or more to see if they need watering . But it ’s well-off to leave , so using an app like Happy Plant , Waterbug , etc . , can be a useful monitor .
Signs of Overwatered Rubber Plant
Here ’s the truth : it ’s easy to kill your rubber tree from overwatering than underwatering . That ’s why you should be able to spot an overwateredFicus elasticasooner rather than afterwards .
front out for the succeed dread symptoms of overwatering :
Do n’t ignore the indiscriminate wilting of leaves , as this is often an early sign of root rot .
How to Water Rubber Plant
[1] Watering from Above
As a tropic plant species , rubber plant often choose lacrimation from the top . They apprise the extra humidity that come from top irrigation . Here are a few things to keep in psyche :
[2] Watering from Below
If your plant ’s slew has drainage hole , this is an excellent lachrymation method .
[3] Self-Watering Pots
Self - watering pots take away the guess out of irrigate your rubber plant .
Golden Rules of Watering Rubber Plants
Watering Rubber Plants After Repotting
Rubber plants are intemperate growers , particularly when the growing conditions are perfect . In most cases , you should repot once every class until it attain the max top of 6 - 10 feet .
Final Words
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