Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with these tall rubber plants, and let me tell you, it’s been a journey. I started with a couple of small ones, thinking they’d just sit nicely in the corner. Boy, was I wrong! These things have a mind of their own and just shoot up if you let them.
I noticed pretty quickly that light is key. I mean, I moved one of them to a spot with less direct sun, and it started getting all leggy, reaching for the light like it was trying to escape. So, I put it back in a brighter spot, and bam, it started to fill out again.
- First thing, you gotta make sure they get plenty of bright, indirect light.
- And don’t think you can just stick them anywhere. These guys are drama queens about their light.
Then there’s the watering. I nearly killed one by overwatering it. The leaves started turning yellow and dropping off, and I panicked. I did some digging online and figured out I was drowning it. So, I backed off and only watered it when the soil felt dry to the touch. It’s like they want you to neglect them a little, you know?
And soil, let’s talk about soil. These plants don’t like to sit in soggy dirt. So, I re-potted them with some well-draining soil mix I got from the local nursery. Nothing fancy, just something that lets the water run through and doesn’t hold onto it for too long.
Feeding Time
They also need to eat, just like us. I started giving them some liquid fertilizer every month or so during the growing season. Nothing special, just a balanced one I picked up at the store. And they seem to love it. I swear, I could almost see them growing taller right after I fed them.
I also learned that you can prune them to keep them in shape. I was scared to cut them at first, but I just snipped off a few branches here and there, and they bounced back even stronger. It’s like they appreciate a good haircut every now and then.
So, yeah, that’s my story with these rubber plants. They can grow pretty tall if you give them what they want. I’ve got one now that’s almost touching the ceiling. It’s become a real statement piece in my living room. People always ask me about it when they come over, and I’m like, “Yeah, I grew that.”