Old rubber tree

[Colin Will]

Richard Mersch wrote:
> 
> My wife has had a rubber tree for about twenty years.  It's now about seven
> feet tall and appears fairly healthy.  However, last year it did not fill
> out as well as it usually does in the summer.
> 
> It's obviously root-bound, and we have ordered a larger (30") pot to allow a
> transplant.
> 
> Can anyone give us advice as to anything else we should do for this old
> friend?
> 
> TIA.


Try air-layering, to get a new and maybe more vigorous plant. Seven feet
in twenty years isn't all that much - nearly a foot a year is possible
with unrestricted root room. Try scraping the top layer of compost out
of the pot every year, and replacing it with fresh compost - that'll
give it a boost.

Best wishes.

Colin Will