Question
Rubber tree drawing.
I have a rubber tree plant that was not doing so well. It had about 4 leaves on
it but it was about 5 feet tall. We recently moved and I left it outside. In the
new location it was getting full sun 75% of the day. It burst out into leaf with
about 20 or so new leaves. But it fell over. Getting settled into the new place
I have not had time to do anything with it... but now I'd like to see if I can propagate new trees from this one. When it fell it was still so happy with the
new sunlight it just kept growing and started branching. So now I have a five
foot horizontal plant with about 10-15 branches growing up. How do I root
this? I have attached a (very bad photoshop) drawing of the two possibilities I
can see. Which is better? Or is there another way? The red marks on the
drawing shows the nodes. The fallen plant just shows the angle of growth
and new branches ... it is also covered with leaves. Thanks for your help.
AnswerKaren, the best and easiest way to propagate this tree is with cuttings.
Simply cut a tender shoot that is at least six inches long. Remove the lower sets of leaves. Dip the cutting in a rooting compound. You can purchase this product at any garden center. Stick the cutting one inch into a good potting mix. Be sure to thoroughly wet the soil prior to planting. Finally, cover the pot with a clear piece of lightweight plastic and place the pot in indirect sunlight on an east window seal or under fluorescent lighting. After two weeks, check to see if the plant has rooted by slightly pulling on the stem. If you feel resistance, remove the plastic covering and be sure to keep the soil moist. The plant can then be treated as any other seedling.
Good luck, and please write again if I can ever be of assistance.
Regards,
Mike
