Subject: Re: Indoor Rubber Plant

From: [email-masked] (MarkS45467)
Date: 20 Mar 1995 23:02:06 -0500

It's probably drawing nitrogen out of the lower leaves to feed the new
growth.  give it some high N, low P fertilizer and see what happens.

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From: Dane Appalsammy <[email-masked]>
Date: 20 Mar 1995 18:46:45 GMT

I have a rubber plant indoors that has been dropping its lower leaves while   
exploding at the tips (three separate shoots in a fairly large pot).  The   
result is a palm tree looking rubber plant.  I've read that the plant is   
doing this because of lack of light.  I've tried moving it different   
locations including some with as much as 4 hours of bright sun light, but   
the plant still refuses to break this lower leaf dropping habit. 
 
I would like a full plant.  What am I doing wrong?  How should I   
prune/fertilize?  Any suggestions welcome. 
 
Thanks in advance, 
Dane

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From: [email-masked] (LynnDHop)
Date: 21 Mar 1995 11:39:53 -0500

Having dropped its lower leaves already, it's not likely to regrow leaves
on the bare stems without some encouragement: i.e., break the apical
dominance.  This means pinching out the top growth.  Most of us find this
really hard to do at first, but once you've tried it and had success,
you'll want to pinch back all your older plants.  The active growing tip
in a rubber plant (and many other plants,too) manufactures a hormone that
inhibits growth in lower portions of the plant.  By snipping off the top
couple of inches, you reduce the concentration of that chemical and allow
buds lower on the stem to develop.  You'll be amazed!
[email-masked] (Lynn D. Warner)

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From: [email-masked] (MarkS45467)
Date: 20 Mar 1995 23:02:06 -0500

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From: [email-masked] (LynnDHop)
Date: 21 Mar 1995 11:39:53 -0500

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From: [email-masked] (Chaser)
Date: 24 Mar 1995 00:39:10 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] says...
>really hard to do at first,

I had a couple of Rubber Plants that lost a lot of their leaves because 
they weren't getting enough light.  I put them in a window and, sure 
enough, new stems and leaves sprouted where the old leaves fell off.  
Didn't have to pinch a thing, although it probably would have sped the 
process up!