11 Causes of Rubber Plant Dying and How to Revive It
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Rubber Plant is dying due to inconsistent watering, improper feeding, too little light, temperature stress, low humidity, poor quality soil, root-rot, pest infestations, being pot-bound among others.
Rubber Plant is one of the easiest of the Ficus varieties for indoor growing. Rubber Plant flourishes in bright light with 4-6 hours of direct sunshine, warmth of 15-280C, humidity of 50-55% and moderately moist, rich, well-drained potting soil coupled with monthly feeding in the growing season. Learn how to grow and care for Rubber Plants.
If you fail to provide these growing conditions, the Rubber Plant may begin to die. We have herebelow outlined 11 reasons why your Rubber Plant is dying and how to solve them.
11 Reasons Rubber Plant is Dying & How to Fix Them
1. Pest infestations
Rubber Plant is prone to scale insects, aphids, mealybugs and spider mites which suck the plant sap causing the plant to become wilted, stunted, drop leaves and begin to die.
How to fix it
Ensure that your Rubber Plant is healthy by giving it the correct growing conditions; weaker plants are more prone to these pests.
Pest infestations are more prevalent in dry air conditions. Therefore, use a wet pebble tray or cool mist humidifier to raise humidity.
Keep the plant well pruned by removing the dead and yellow foliage to discourage pest infestations.
Isolate the affected plant to prevent spread to the other plants and treat it with insecticidal soap and neem oil as per the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Poor quality Soil
Poor quality soil does not drain easily and therefore it easily becomes compacted or soggy which may result in reduced growth and the plant begins to die.
How to fix it
Grow your Rubber Plant in a loose, well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter to prevent it from getting soggy while providing the required nutrients.
3. Root-rot disease
Root-rot disease is characterized by yellowing, wilting and leaf drop which is rapidly followed by browning and plant death if not treated in time. The disease is prevalent in soggy soil.
How to fix it
Carefully, slip the Rubber Plant out of its pot and inspect the roots. Brown-black mushy roots indicate root-rot, trim them off and treat the healthy roots with a copper-based fungicidal solution as instructed by the manufacturer.
Disinfect the pot with the fungicidal solution or use a fresh pot to repot the plant in fresh free-draining soil.
Withhold watering and keep the plant dry for a few days before you resume watering.
Make sure that the pot has a drainage hole and the soil is well-drained to prevent it from getting soggy.
Take care not to overwater the plant during the cold season as growth is minimal at this time, therefore, the plant does not need a lot of water.
4. Improper feeding
Overfeeding will cause the roots to die due to fertilizer burn. This means that they cannot take up nutrients and water required for photosynthesis, thus the plant begins to die due to lack of food.
Underfeeding means that the plant is not getting enough nutrients needed for growth, therefore, the plant begins to die.
How to fix it
Feed your Rubber Plant with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every 4 weeks in the growing period. Ensure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Do not feed the plant in the cold season to prevent fertilizer burn and plant death as growth is minimal at this time.
5. Being pot-bound
When pot-bound, the roots have filled the pot and there is very little soil to hold water when you water the plant. Therefore, there is little water for the plant to take up to the leaves. The leaves loss their stiffness and they wilt and the plant begins to die.How to fix it
Check the bottom of the pot for roots growing through the drainage hole and repot the plant into a pot one size larger than the current one.
Thereafter, repot your Rubber Plant at the beginning of the growing season when it has become pot-bound.
Ensure that the pot has a drainage hole and that the soil is loose and well-drained. Use a heavy pot as the plant can become top-heavy and topple over. Check out these pots with drainage holes on Amazon.
6. Too little light
Adequate light is necessary for photosynthesis, the process by which plants make food needed for growth and energy. Too little light for plant means that the plant cannot make enough food for growth and development which results in stunted growth and the plant begins to die.
How to fix it
Position Rubber Plant in a brightly-lit spot where it will receive bright light with 4-6 hours of morning or late afternoon sunshine.
If the natural lighting in your home is not sufficient, consider investing in full spectrum grow lights to complement it.
Regularly rotate the pot to ensure that the plant absorbs enough light for photosynthesis on all sides and also avoid leggy growth.
7. Too low humidity
Too low air humidity will result in stunted growth, dry and shrivelled leaves, leaf drop and eventual plant death.
How to fix it
To increase humidity for your Rubber Plant, group the plants together, set the pot on a wet pebble tray or use a cool mist humidifier.
You may also grow the plant in a well-lit bathroom, kitchen, laundry area and other humid areas in the home.
8. Inconsistent watering
Overwatering will cause the roots to die due to lack of oxygen. When the roots die they cannot take up water which causes the leaves to yellow, drop and eventually the plant dies.
Underwatering implies that there is too little moisture in the soil and therefore, the plant has no water to take up to the leaves. Thus, the leaves begin to drop and eventually the plant may die if the situation is not corrected.
How to fix it
Water Rubber Plant when the top 2-3 inches of soil to dry out but do not allow the soil to dry out completely.
9. Soggy soil
Soggy soil will result in death of roots due to lack of oxygen in the root zone. As such the roots cannot take up water and nutrients to the leaves for food making. Inadequate food in the growing parts will result in plant death.
How to fix it
Ensure that the pot has a drainage hole and the soil is well-draining to prevent waterlogging.
10. Temperature stress
Drafts like windy doors and windows, AC units, hot air vents, stoves among others, will cause sudden temperature changes which will lead to stunted growth, yellowing, drooping, leaf drop and eventual death of the plant.
How to fix it
Keep the plant away from sources of drafts to maintain a warmth of 15-280C.
Cut down on watering in the cold season and use room temperature water to avoid cold shock.
11. Exposure to hot direct sunlight
Exposing your Rubber Plant to hot direct sunlight, will cause the leaves to wilt, drop and the plant may begin to die.
How to fix it
Place your Rubber Plant in a more shaded spot or instal a light curtain to shield it from hot direct sunlight to prevent its eventual death.
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