A plant expert explains why and what to do about it .
Rubber plants(Ficus elastica)arepopular houseplants , beloved for leaves so glossy they seem lacquered . Perhaps that ’s why rubber plant life give devolve off the stalk can cause concern , especially when it ’s several at a fourth dimension . So what should you do when your industrial plant begin dropping those gorgeous glossy leaves ? First of all , take a few breathing space . Then hold out what a theatre plant pro has to say about it .
Paris Lalicatais a works education expert for the on-line plant marketer The Sill .
Causes of Rubber Plant Leaves Falling Off
gumshoe industrial plant have their quirks . They ’re easy to grow if you give them the good stipulation , but when they do n’t get the right weather condition , they get stressed , and their leafage can come down off , saysParis Lalicata , plant education expert for the online plant marketer The Sill .
“ While occasional foliage free fall can be normal as plants spill their older leaves , there may be other event going on if your rubber plant is excessively dropping leaves , ” Lalicata adds .
Here are some possible causes of a rubber plant ’s leaf falling off .
1. Low Light or Light Change
Rubber plants that do n’t get enough Light Within will drop their lower leaves , Lalicata says . She points out that they ’re also " sensitive to sudden changes in lightness . ” For case , if you move the plant from a cheery way to a not - so - sunny room , it may reply by losing leaves . Bringing a gumshoe industrial plant indoors for the winter after it drop a summer outdoors might have some leaves to fall off , too .
2. Overwatering or Underwatering
“ There is a fortune the leaf drop could be relate to overwatering or underwatering . Give a rubber tree too much water , and its leaves will hang off . Let it get too ironical between lachrymation , and that can make the leaves fall off , too , ” Lalicata suppose .
3. Pests
rubber eraser flora are vulnerable to the common defendant that plague houseplants : scale , aphids , mealybugs , thripid , and wanderer mites . An infestation of any of these pest can weaken the plant and make it drop down its leaves .
4. Drafts and Dryness
Like many houseplant , rubber plants hail from a tropic mood and love fond , humid conditions . They do n’t do well in the nerveless , dry indoor air of winter . If your rubber flora is expose to a insensate draught , its leaves will turn yellow , then chocolate-brown , and fall off . The same will happen if the plant does n’t get enough humidity .
Prevention and Treatment
Once your rubber plant leave-taking are falling off , give it TLC instantly . “ To keep succeeding leaf drop you ’ll need to optimize the environment or your care routine to give the industrial plant what it take to be healthier , “ Lalicata read . Here ’s what she recommends .
Proper Watering Techniques
pee a rubber tree once every week or two . Let the soil dry out between waterings . “ But do n’t let it stay dry for too long , or it could contribute to foliage loss , ” Lalicata allege .
In spring and summer ( the peak growing season for a golosh plant life ) increase thewatering frequency . In the fall and winter , when the pencil eraser flora receive less light and grows more slowly , repress the oftenness .
Check the top 1 in of ground in the crapper . When it is dry to the touching , irrigate the works .
Pest Prevention Tips
“ pestis come with the territory when you own plants , ” Lalicata says . “ Act preventively to keep them away . ” She recommendscleaning the leaves of your plantweekly with a damp cloth or duster and inspecting leaf and stanch for pests or pest damage . When you recognize pestilence , plow the plant life withneem oil sprayand dissever it from other plants to prevent a wide-cut plague .
Another way to prevent pests is to put out sticky trap that catch flora blighter likeaphids , fungus gnat , whiteflies , thrips , and other fly threat before they infest your indoor industrial plant .
The ripe way to keep pests from your rubber plants is to make indisputable the plants are strong and healthy . Pests attack plants that are under stress due to poor nutrition , insufficient luminosity , or incorrect watering .
PARIS LALICATA
“ Make indisputable the plant is puzzle the right environmental conditions and nutrition , and pests are more likely to stay away . ”
Getting Rid of Pests
If you find blighter on your plants , you have two options to eliminate them .
NONCHEMICAL METHODS :
CHEMICAL METHODS :
For a major infestation , look for one of these pesticides labeled for indoor plant .
Light Requirements
condom trees needbright , indirect lightto thrive . If theplant is leggyor its foliage have gotten wan and dull instead of green and glossy and begin to fall off , the plant may want more lite .
“ If you retrieve the leaf drop is due to abject light , move the plant nearer to a window orincorporate a grow light , ” Lalicata say . She suggests placing the works by a southern - face windowpane so it can get six to eight time of day of burnished spark daily .
Temperature and Humidity
Rubber trees do best in temperate temperatures , 60 ° F to 75 ° F grade , with 40 % to 50 % humidity . If foliage are falling off , check the air temperature with a thermometer and the humidity with a hygrometer .
If you decide a draft is causing the folio drop , “ move the industrial plant to a stable environment where it will get consistent temperatures , ” Lalicata pronounce . If teetotal atmosphere is an subject , put a humidifier near your plants , mist leaves with piss several times a mean solar day , or place the flora in a dish of pebble take with water . The H2O in the dish melt into the air , increasing the humidness near your plant . The pebble in the dish prevent your plant life ’s roots from standing in water and getting too wet . Just check that water level stays below the top of the pebbles .
put up your gumshoe tree with the right develop weather condition to keep its endearing leaves on the plant . Give it burnished light , temperate but consistent moisture , and stay vigilant for pests . You ’ll be repay with a level-headed , vivacious rubber plant with leaves that stay put .
