Of their pure atmosphere, rubber timber, Ficus elastica, can develop over 100 ft tall.
They may by no means develop anyplace close to that enormous when grown as houseplants, however that doesn’t imply they will’t use some shaping and containment every now and then.
Pruning may give an outside tree some form or you may assist encourage branching in a houseplant that has grown a bit leggy.
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The method of pruning permits you to take away any sick or broken branches, or regenerate a rubber fig that has been uncared for. So regardless of the scale or situation of your plant, a little bit trimming is likely to be so as.
Our information to rising rubber timber has all the data you might want to domesticate these spectacular vegetation in your house.
On this information, we’re going to deal with pruning for well being and look.
Listed below are the subjects we’ll cowl:
The way to Prune Rubber Timber
Earlier than we discuss concerning the course of, you is likely to be curious why try to be trimming within the first place. Right here’s why:
Why Prune Rubber Timber?
You don’t need to prune F. elastica, these vegetation can go years with none trimming and will probably be simply positive.
When grown indoors, rubber timber can turn into leggy, with lengthy stretches of stems or branches that lack foliage.
If you wish to make your plant bushier, pruning it again can encourage branching and new foliar progress to fill in these naked areas.
You can even prune to maintain the F. elastica at a manageable measurement in your house or yard.
Other than pruning for measurement, trimming away any branches which can be diseased, infested by pests, deformed, or damaged, is useful to maintain the plant wholesome and searching its finest.
Preparation
Earlier than you get began, you’ll want to decide on an appropriate pruning device.
A pair of secateurs, just like the Felco F-2, is ideal for houseplants or average measurement outside specimens. For bigger timber you might want loppers or a tree pruner.
You’ll additionally have to put on gloves and a long-sleeved shirt, as rubber figs exude sap that may be extremely irritating to your pores and skin.
If the plant you’re working with could be very tall and also you’ll be working overhead, put on protecting goggles and keep away from standing instantly beneath the place you make your cuts.
Whenever you’ve chosen your pruning device, you might want to clear it completely earlier than use.
In the event you don’t clear your instruments, you run the chance of spreading pests and illness, and the very last thing you need is to contaminate your newly trimmed tree.
I take advantage of a ten % bleach resolution (one half bleach to 9 elements water) to wipe down my instruments.
As well as, seize some isopropyl alcohol and preserve it helpful when you work, as a result of the sap can gum up your device and you’ll need to wipe it down frequently between cuts.
When to Work
In case you are rising your F. elastica indoors, you may prune everytime you want.
Nevertheless, each for indoor and outside specimens, winter is finest as a result of the plant is dormant throughout this time.
Or reasonably, as is the case with many tropical evergreens, it’s in a semi-dormant state in the course of the colder months.
It’s best to prune when vegetation are dormant for quite a few causes.
Pathogens and pests are often much less of an issue than in the course of the rising season and the plant is much less more likely to be traumatized by the work you’re doing.
Having mentioned that, in the event you discover diseased or pest-infested branches that have to go, lower these off everytime you see them.
The opposite exception is in case you are trimming solely to encourage branching. This may be achieved each time the plant is actively rising.
The way to Prune
Earlier than you make the primary lower, look carefully at your plant and determine the leaf nodes. These are little bumps the place the leaves emerge from the stem.
You need to make your whole cuts a couple of quarter of an inch above these leaf nodes and at a slight angle so any water runs off of it reasonably than remaining in place and attracting pathogens.
Begin by eradicating any stems or leaves which can be diseased, broken, infested with pests, in addition to any branches rubbing towards one another.
Whenever you’ve trimmed off any that may’t be saved, step again and take a look at the plant, noting any areas which can be wanting leggy or missing in foliage.
If there’s an space that’s skinny, lower the department barely beneath that space so the brand new progress grows up into and fills it in. If you wish to encourage outward, bushy progress, lower the highest off of the stems.
Make any extra cuts you might want to give the plant the form you need.
By no means take away greater than a 3rd or so of the plant at a time. You need to depart sufficient foliage behind that the plant can nonetheless photosynthesize and develop.
Form Up!
Most vegetation want pruning to a point. With rubber figs, it’s about offering some form and sustaining their well being.
I’m all the time stunned after I perform a little pruning at how a lot better my vegetation look. It’s like I get used to their imperfection and don’t understand how fairly they are often with some further care.
What’s your motivation for pruning? Is your plant a little bit leggy or sick? Are you attempting to create a special form? Tell us the main points within the feedback part beneath.
And for extra details about rising and caring for rubber timber, take a look at these guides subsequent: