First, the growth conditions
1. Temperature: Rubber trees like warmth, and the most suitable temperature for growth is 20~25 °C. It can also grow well at temperatures above 35°C, but in winter when the temperature is below 5°C, it is susceptible to frost rot.
2. Light: Rubber trees like bright scattered light and have a certain shade tolerance. It is not resistant to strong sun exposure, and when the light is too strong, it will burn the leaves and cause yellowing and scorched leaves. It should not be too shaded, otherwise it will cause a large number of fallen leaves. In general, indoor cultivation is best done in a place with bright scattered light.
3. Water: Rubber trees like moist soil environment, and should be fully supplied with water during the growth period to keep the potting soil moist. In winter, watering needs to be controlled, and when the potting soil is too wet at low temperatures, it is easy to cause root rot.
2. Cultivation methods
1. Substrate preparation: The substrate for cultivating rubber trees should be loam soil with medium fertility and good drainage, and garden soil can be used for potting: humus: river sand = 2:2:1.
2. Potting time: Rubber trees should be planted in spring and autumn, when the survival rate is high.
3. Potting method: first put broken tiles, bricks, ceramsite, etc. at the bottom of the pot as a drainage layer, and then add nutrient soil, the volume of nutrient soil accounts for about 70%~80% of the potting soil, and then gently plant the plant into the soil, let the roots stretch naturally, and then slowly water through.
3. Reproduction methods
1. Propagation by cuttings: Cuttings can be carried out in spring, summer and autumn, but the roots of cuttings in spring and summer are fast. Select semi-mature branches, cut them into small sections of about 10 cm, and cut them into the soil about 4-6 cm. If the weather is dry, you need to cover the shade net and film to keep the soil moist to take root and sprout. Generally, it can be rooted in 3-4 months. After rooting, the seedlings can be transplanted and cultured.
2. Grafting and propagation: Because the growth of rubber trees is slow, it takes many years and more labor to reach the ideal shape, and the method of grafting can accelerate the growth and shorten the cultivation time. Beautiful potato varieties with beautiful leaf color that are not easy to take root can be selected as rootstocks and grafted before budding in spring. There are three commonly used grafting methods: splitting, leaning grafting, and budding grafting. The maintenance of grafted seedlings should pay attention to shading and moisturizing, and they can be formed in the same year when they are properly managed.
Fourth, pruning and shaping
Rubber trees grow quickly, and they begin to take shape after 2~3 years of cultivation, and they need to be pruned frequently during the growth process. Rubber trees sprout many new branches as they grow, making them bulky, so they must be kept dwarfed by pruning. At the same time, due to the lush vegetation, it is easy to develop pests and diseases or breed weeds, so it is also necessary to carry out plastic pruning. Plastic pruning is best done in the spring, when new shoots grow and heal normally. Plastic pruning in summer is easy to cause the wound to not heal and the gum to infect the disease. Winter pruning can affect growth and sprouting new branches.
5. Pest control
Rubber trees are susceptible to diseases such as anthracnose, brown spot and powdery mildew during their growth. These diseases can damage the leaves and stems of plants, resulting in defoliation, dead branches and stem deformities. It can be sprayed regularly with the corresponding agent. In addition, it can also be harmed by insect pests such as spider mites and scale insects, which can suck the sap of plants and cause the leaves to turn yellow and fall off or deform, and can be controlled by regular spraying with insecticides. As long as the management of plants is strengthened and the occurrence of pests and diseases is controlled, the rubber tree can grow lush and verdant!