Question
I received a healthy-looking rubber plant 3 months ago.  It has 8
stalks, the tallest of which is about 16 inches tall.  The plant is in
a 10-inch pot.  I keep it inside in front of a south-facing
window, which is the best (although still not very well) lit place
in my apartment.  I water the plant about once a week.

Recently it began to drop leaves.  I think that this was
precipitated by an air conditioning problem that occured while I
was out of town and resulted in the plant sitting in 90 degree
heat for several days.  Now, six of he stalks have no leaves.  The
tips of these stalks appear withered and dry.  The other 2 stalks
have new growth, but the new growth appears wilty now.   Is
there anything I can do for the sickly no-leaf stalks?  What is the
best treatment for the other 2 stems?

Thanks!

Answer
Hi Jen,

Although rubber plants can withstand 90 degree temps pretty well, the soil may have gotten very dried out and I suspect that is the problem. Once soil gets completely dry, it is often hard to re-wet, which means the plant continues to suffer from lack of water.

I suggest that you take the plant to your sink and let lots of warm water flush through the soil until all of the soil is completely saturated. The excess will drain out of the drainage holes. After that be sure to water the whenever the soil feels dry to the touch rather than watering every week.

I also suggest that you prune back the stems that are now leafless to a height of approximately 6 inches.

If you would like to send a photo to me at the address below, I might be able to offer some additional insights.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]

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