Thread: help needed
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Old 02-10-2005, 02:25 PM
Mab Mab is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Oct 2005
Location: Kingston Upon Hull
Posts: 18
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Had a little look in my houseplant book and I think the first two pictures are probably Ficus elastica (Rubber Plants)
Rubber plants like bright light, but never hot sun. When your new leaves are emerging, even less light is advisable, as this will promote larger leaves..Rubber plants are very susceptible to changes in environment, such as warm to a cool room..Keep them out of drafts, and away from heat sources.
Keep your plant evenly moist during the growing cycle in spring and summer, but on the dryer side during the rest of the year. They really appreciate having their leaves sponged off with a damp cloth. When you fertilize your rubber plant in the spring and again in early summer, use a weak mixture of a soluble house plant food.
Rubber plants have a tendency to lose their lower leaves, usually from environmental reasons. If this happens very often, new shoots will emerge from the old leaf node. A very light nick, with a sharp,clean knife, right above the old node will often speed the new growth process from that point, but be sure to not cut to deeply.