Baby Rubber Plant Care and Growing Guides

Interested in learning how to properly maintain baby rubber plant or Peperomia Obtusifolia? We’ve done the research for you, and this article will walk you through every step of growing robust, healthy baby rubber plants. Continue reading to find out more information.

How to Care for Baby Rubber Plant

Soil and Sunlight

The most important thing that your baby rubber plants need from their soil is adequate drainage. Combine equal amounts of peat moss and per-lite, or coarse sand, in a large mixing bowl. An orchid potting mix, on the other hand, may also be beneficial.

Baby rubber plants thrive in bright, indirect light, such as the light coming in from an east-or west-facing window. Make certain that the plants do not get an excessive amount of direct sunlight, particularly during the summer. Sun-scald can happen when leaves are exposed to too much direct sunlight for a long time.

If your plant isn’t receiving enough sunlight, it will show you by becoming lanky as it attempts to extend toward the light. As soon as you see this, just prune your Baby Rubber back into its normal form and relocate it to a location with more indirect light.

Additionally, if your plant isn’t receiving enough light, it will let you know about it. Keep an eye out for poor color, fewer leaves, or leaves that have fallen.

Baby rubber plants benefit from early morning and filtered light, but you may also provide them with 12 to 16 hours of artificial light every day if you choose.

Water and Fertilizer

When it comes to caring for baby rubber plants, the most common issue that consumers encounter is inappropriate watering practices. Fortunately, there is a way to detect whether or not it is time to water your plants at this time.

Until the top inch or two of Baby Rubber’s soil has dried up, you should refrain from watering the plant. Simply insert your finger an inch or two into the soil where Baby Rubber is growing to determine whether or not it is time to water. As long as the soil feels wet to your finger or clings to your skin, the soil is still moist, and you don’t need to water your baby rubber plant again for the foreseeable future.

It is considerably more common to over-water Baby Rubber than it is to undersea it. Over-watered baby rubber plants will have a heavy pot, rotten stalks, wilting, wet soil, and yellowing leaves, among other signs of over-watering.

During the growing season, fertilizer should be applied to your baby rubber plant on a monthly basis to maximize its growth. Select a water-soluble fertilizer with a 10-10-10 ratio. Check the packaging instructions and make sure you follow them. Over-fertilizing baby rubber plants might cause difficulties for your plants, so be cautious not to overdo it.

Humidity Levels

You may have heard allegations about baby rubber plants demanding high humidity, but this is not always the case, according to the experts. A greater relative humidity is required by certain baby rubber plant varieties compared to other varieties. Please take a close look at your baby rubber’s leaves. Do they have a thick consistency like a succulent plant? If this is the case, your baby rubber will flourish in the low humidity of your house.

Plant’s Propagation

The most effective method of propagating a new baby rubber plant is by leaf cuttings. Begin by filling the container you will use to plant your cutting, or a tray if that is what you want to use, with the soil you intend to use. Prevent disease transmission in your garden by keeping all of your trays, pots, and gardening equipment (you will be using shears) clean and sterile.

Make use of the shears to trim a piece of leaf cutting. You have the option of cutting the stem at the base or leaving part of the stem intact. Then, across the breadth of the leaf, cut it in two. Rooting powder should be put on the cut edges of the leaf to encourage new growth.

Clear a space in the soil with a knife or a spoon to make room for your leaf cutting. It simply has to be one or two millimeters deep to be effective. Then, with the cut end of the leaf cutting pointing down into the dirt, plant it in this location. Firm up the dirt around the leaf cutting with your hands and water it well so that it can settle into its new home.

If you aren’t using a cutting tray with a cover, try covering your container with plastic wrap to keep it from becoming too hot. You will, however, need to remove the plastic for a few hours each day throughout the day. This means that plant diseases will not be caused by too much humidity.

Plants should be kept inside in a location where they will get plenty of bright indirect light. The cut end of the leaf will eventually sprout roots, which you will be able to see. Then the process of fresh growth will commence.

Pruning and Re-potting

Don’t be afraid to use a heavy hand while pruning Baby Rubber; it will benefit from it. Remove any sections of the plant that are a touch lanky or have outgrown their desired compact form by clipping them back. Remove any sections that are dead or showing indications of illness, as well as any weeds.

Baby rubber plants do not need re-potting on a yearly basis, as do many other plants. In fact, they thrive in pots that are just a tiny bit smaller than you’d anticipate the plant needing for its size. Instead of re-potting your Baby Rubber plant every year, try re-potting it every two or three years. As time goes on, the potting soil may become compacted and block drainage holes, resulting in a plant that doesn’t work well.

Alternatively, you may put the plant into a container that is comparable in size, or perhaps slightly larger if that is your preference. Begin by placing about half of the fresh potting soil mix into the container and reserving the other half for later use as needed. Using care, carefully remove your baby rubber plant from its old container and gently brush off any extra dirt from around its base.

Place the Baby Rubber plant in its new container and fill the pot with the potting soil mix that you saved from the previous container. Press the dirt around the roots to harden them up a little bit, but don’t go crazy with this technique. The plant needs to be watered a lot to make sure it likes its new pot.

You should now be aware of the proper technique to care for baby rubber plants. To ensure that your plants grow, all you have to do is match your care to the preferences of the plants you are caring for.