Question
My rubber tree plant is huge!!!!  I have to arrange my furniture around it but I have had it for years and don't want to get rid  of it because I really love it.  Where do I start to cut so it will not be so out of shape? and how do I know when I am done? Someone told me I had to purchase a chemical to rub on the stem after I cut  Is that necessary?  If I want to repot this plant should I remove as much of the old dirt from the roots and start again with fresh dirt or will that hurt the plant?  Help me..

Answer
Alicia,

You start by using sharp scissors or pruning shears and cut off just a few leaves that are sticking out at a bad angle. Cut about 1/2 inch above a leaf. You keep going till you get a shape you are satisfied with. I would not prune off more than 1/2 the plant. Between each cut stand about 6 feet away and decide where the next cut should be. Turn the tree seeveral times in the process. Be patient with yourself and the tree and it will kind of "tell" you where to cut.You could purchase cut paste to seal the cuts but I rarely bother with that.

You can prune right now but I would not repot now. Do that between April and June when the days are longer and the roots are actively growing and the plant will recuperate faster. Repotting damages the roots and puts the plant in shock. It can handle it much better between April and June. Do not repot and prune plants at the same time.

Why do you feel you need to repot? Most plants do not mind being rootbound. I feel the only reason to repot is if you want a plant to grow larger. If you just want to change pots make sure they are about the same size and remove some of the  old soil and rplace it with fresh soil. If necessary you can use a sharp knife and cut away up to 1/4th of the rootball to make room for some fresh soil. If you have more questions feel free to write again. Good luck.

Darlene