Potting Soil Recipes for a Baby Rubber Plant
- Ficus are common houseplants, and the baby rubber plant is one of the more simple varieties to grow. The baby rubber plant is a dwarf variety of rubber trees, or ficus elastica. While it requires only a minimal amount of care, the proper potting soil is vital to the continued health of the rubber plant. The right soil conditions ensure the plant receives the needed nutrients and water to thrive.
- Baby rubber trees grow best in moderately moist soils but they cannot tolerate sogginess. Soggy soils drown the roots, as too much water prevents the roots from taking in oxygen and nutrients from the soil. Too much drainage also poses an issue since soil will dry out too quickly for the rubber plant roots to absorb the needed amount of moisture.
Organic, such as compost or peat moss, provides healthy drainage without becoming too dry. These materials absorb the right amount of moisture but drain away some of the excess to prevent sogginess. Perlite and vermiculite, both minerals, provide additional drainage without compacting withing the soil mix. - All plants require certain soil nutrients in order to thrive, and baby rubber plants are no different. Rubber plants have minimal soil nutrition needs so do not require a vigorous fertilizing schedule. Like most ficus varieties, the rubber tree needs a standard houseplant fertilizer applied at a moderate schedule.
Adding a slow-release fertilizer to the soil recipe prior to planting the rubber plant provides nutrients for the first three to four months, but even the best fertilized potting soil loses nutrition over time and will require additional soluble fertilizers. Once-monthly application at the package minimum rate is sufficient for the baby rubber tree. - Combining the right type of soil elements with the proper nutrients provides the best medium for the rubber plant. Use sterile topsoil or loam as the base material in the soil to provide for trace nutrients and support of the rubber tree. Combine three parts of this base material with one part of organic materials, such as compost or peat to provide even more trace nutrients and proper moisture retention. Provide the drainage by mixing in one part of vermiculite, perlite or sand. Moisten the soil before potting the baby rubber tree in it.