Question
I bought "george" (my rubber plant) around 5 months ago - he was in a small, 6" pot, and appeared root bound, as i could see roots over the top of the soil.  A friend suggested to wait to repot for at least a few months, to let it get settled in its new home.  Which I did.  Around a month ago some leaves yellowed, and dropped off.  I was not concerned about this.  A few weeks ago the leaves began to droop, all of them, and I decided it was time to repot.  I cut some of the root ball (just a bit, to open it up) and repotted into a 10" (i think) pot, earthen, with a hole in the bottom.  It is usally in a corner that gets hardly any direct sun, but lots of reflected light.  The leaves have continued to droop and I've been good about not overwatering (the hardest is just waiting, doing nothing, as it looks so sad).  I pruned a couple of the droopiest leaves off, and tomorrow will try to stick the whole pot in some water for around a half hour, to see if the roots pull the water it needs upwards.  I'd also put it in more direct light for a few days after repotting, but that only resulting in what I understand is like sunburn, a whitish haze on some of the leaves.  Is there anything else I can do?  This plant was SO vibrant when I brought it home, and for the following few months.. I don't want to lose it..

Answer
Hi Julia,

Thanks for the good rating and nomination. Please let me know what was not clear or how I could be more helpful.

Regards,
Will Creed

Hi Julia,

There are lots of things to sort through here, so let's take them one at a time.

When you first purchased your rubber plant, it probably was rootbound, but your friend was correct in advising you to wait to repot. The initial leaf yellowing was probably because the soil was getting too dry in between waterings. Pot bound plants dry out much sooner than those that are not potbound. The solution was to water more frequently.

When you repotted you moved it into a pot that was too large. The rule is to only up-pot one size at a time. Your rubber plant should now be in a 7 or 8 inch pot. A 10 inch pot is way too big. An over-potted plant has the opposite problem of the plant that is rootbound because it takes too long to dry out and the roots begin to rot.

It is a good idea to loosen the outer roots that surround the rootball when you re-pot. You mentioned cutting some. I am not sure how extensive that was, but that can sometimes cause some initial leaf loss until those roots recover. This may be a contributing factor.

Plants do not like changes in location, especially changes in light. Not knowing just how far your rubber plant was from the nearest window, I cannot say whether or not it was  getting enough light. I do know that most people overestimate indirect and reflected light intensity. On the other hand, a sudden change to much more intense light can also cause a negative reaction. It is best to find the right light intensity for your plants and then leave them there.

Leaving a pot sitting in water for a half hour is only a good idea if the soil has become so dry that it is not absorbing water from top watering. I don't think that applies to your rubber plant.

When roots are surrounded by lots of moist soil and the leaves are still looking wilted, that is a good indication of root rot. Rotted roots are no longer able to absorb water and supply it to the leaves, so the leaves wilt. There is no cure for root rot.

So where does all of this leave you? I strongly suspect root rot has at least started, primarily because of the over-sized pot and the low light.

What can you do? Unpot the plant and carefully remove all of the soil that you added when you repotted. Look for soft, mushy roots and remove them also. If there are still lots of healthy-looking roots, then repot the plant into the SMALLEST pot that the healthy roots and a small amount of opting mix will fit into. I suggest that you use a terra cotta pot because it will dry out sooner than a ceramic or plastic pot. Place the plant as close to an uncovered window as possible but far enough away that the sun does not shine directly on the leaves during the middle part of the day. Water the plant only when the top inch of soil is dry to the touch. Do not fertilize it or move it.

All of tis will require patience on your part as recovery will be slow. Because of the trauma of repotting and relocation, it will probably lose some more leaves before it stabilizes and grows healthy new leaves.

Good luck and please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions. If you would like to e-mail me some photos, I may be able to provide some additional insights.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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