Grace
My rubber tree is struggling. I repotted it in September and it’s been upset ever since. Lost a ton of leaves. I’m trying to keep it alive. My question is, how do I know how much water to give it?? Overwatering is my problem.
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My rubber tree is struggling. I repotted it in September and it’s… | Anything about plants | Comunidad de Planta
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✨RikkiLynn✨I water most of my plants every 7-10 days. I bought a moisture meter from Menards and it’s really helped me determine if the soil towards the middle to bottom is still moist to prevent over watering. I’ve also been trimming off all of the brown leaves and ones that don’t look so healthy to provide room for more growth. So far my plants are all growing well! I hope this helps a little bit!
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MummaDebDefinitely buy a water meter. I tend to overwater too. So I won't water without one.
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MadisonMoisture meters can help, but I have personally found that they’re not as reliable in chunky soil mixes due to the air pockets and they can be less reliable over time. Honestly my favorite method for knowing when to water is the baking method where you stick a chopstick, wooden skewer, or toothpick into the soil. If it comes out clean, the soil is dry and ready to be watered. If it comes out damp or with any soil clinging to it, it’s not ready to be watered. Rubber trees like to dry out more in between waterings, so I like to make sure 75% of the soil on my rubber tree is fully dry before watering again. I make sure it’s ready by sticking a chopstick 75% down into the soil and checking that way. You can also just stick your moisture meter down 75% of the way to check too. Tanner the Planter has a great video on youtube called “When are you supposed to water your houseplants?” that’s super helpful in explaining how to know when to water and how to check the soil this way.
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Also you didn’t mention anything about these, but some other factors that can lead to a plant being overwatered (besides just how often you water which is definitely the biggest thing) are the size of the planter and the amount of light it’s receiving. I always mention those two things because I personally learned the hard way how much an oversized planter and too little light can prevent the plant from drying out quickly enough. The pot/planter should have plenty of drainage and be no more than 1-2 inches bigger than the ball of the root- otherwise the roots can’t soak up all the moisture and the soil will stay wet for too long. Also if it’s not getting enough light, the plant won’t use up the water fast enough either. Variegated rubber trees want lots of bright indirect light; right by an unobstructed east-facing window or a south-facing window with a sheer curtain would be ideal. You can also supplement with grow lights if you don’t have that kind of window setup. Just make sure the grow light is giving the leaves at least 800 foot candles- you can download a free light meter app to measure or buy a light meter off Amazon for a little more accuracy. Sorry if that’s unsolicited advice- it’s just stuff I wish I’d known sooner 😅
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SunnyYou wrote everything I was going to write especially getting a light meter. 😄 I would only add that ficus trees don’t like being moved. They can drop leaves like crazy to protest. They can get upset just moving around in the same room. 🪴🍀
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KingbetesYeah definitely get a moisture meter, but maybe that pot is too big? It’s hard to tell in the pic but a smaller pot and a more airy soil could help!
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