Notching A Ficus | How and when to promote branching on a rubber tree

[@christiyadron639]

This is THE BEST explanation/demonstration of notching ficus that I've found. I have a healthy fiddleleaf ficus that I have been wanting to notch so that it will be fuller. And you have given me the confidence I was lacking! Unfortunately I have noticed how large the leaves are and they take up so much room, so I've decided not to notch it, since that will make it more bulky in an already cramped space. Oh well. I'll have to miss out on the fun of notching. But maybe on another plant--someday.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

It’s good you’re thinking about the space though! A single branch ficus can look fabulous in a smaller space.

[@melaniebruno4632]

I agree totally!

[@yveeriksson7437]

I tried this method on my Ficus about 1-2 month ago. I had no expectations. The plant had been losing leaves one after one and the plant was about to seeing the inside of the waste bin. So, nothing to lose. I did like you showed, made 3-4 notches in the stem. Miracle!!! There are sprouting several new leaves on the stem, at different levels. I think there are 1-2 more sprouts than I made notches. So thank you! That was the best plant advice ever :D

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Yay!!💚 So glad I could help!

[@lynnmahar6915]

I love how thorough you are. Super video and you addressed those of us who are nervous about injuring our plant. LOL! Truly! You are a good teacher.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thank you!💚

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Hi Everyone! Just wanted to drop another quick branching update. I was just watering my ficus tineke when I noticed the bud of a branch finally starting below one of the notches I made in the video 🤗 AND it is in the spot I was most hoping for it to develop ❤️ I’m going to let it get more grown in before filming the results video for you all, but I just wanted to pop in here and let you all know that it did work!

[@princepalmer3329]

Look forward to seeing this. Might be on here now as you posted this four months ago. So happy I came across your Vidio.

[@cristycreates2887]

That's awesome I'll look for the update video Thank you! 😊 Is a rubber tree plant in the Ficus family? My daughter has one that's so tall and growing sideways (It is one long stem and looks leggy)...can I do the same thing with it?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

@@cristycreates2887 Yes, the scientific name for the rubber plant is Ficus elastica.

[@swtmya]

Where’s the updated video of branching results?

[@lynneastcliff8234]

@@swtmya That is what I am looking for, also.

[@joisseessoij8155]

To save some time, start at 12:05 of the video🙃

[@tannakua]

Thank you. You are a true hero.

[@Okispider]

did you do an update on the notching?

[@barrymeadows6853]

This has been the best explanation of pruning versus notching and you had such a fun way of explaining and creating visual aids! Great video!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thank you so much!! 😊

[@MrWolfheart111]

Thanks for Info, Think I want a Ficus. :) ... Ive been experimenting with polysporin on my plants wounds. Also I give them spa days, Warmed rainwater for watering (+ a little food), Also warm filtered water to wipe down their leaves.... I play them some youtube plant music while doing this.... and they really love it. You can just feel their joy. Bless. I often wonder how pain killers can work on a plant.... I heard of folks adding asprin to thier plant water.

[@_pimmie]

This is the most helpful video on branching a ficus I could find on youtube. Thank you so much for such a detailed instruction! I'm now so much more confident to notch my ficus audrey!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You’re welcome!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

For everyone wondering when I'm going to do the follow-up video on notching my two ficusses.........so shortly after I filmed the notching a ficus video both of my ficus got spider mites (ugh). They live next to each other so not surprised they both got them at the same time, but with all the treatments I've been giving them to get rid of the spider mites (which I think are finally gone as of this week) I think that plus just having spider mites in the first place caused either a delay in branching or maybe even a failure to branch. My plan is to give them two more weeks to recover from all the spider mite nonsense and if they haven't started branching by that time then I'm going to try notching them again in different places since they will finally be healthy again. But don't worry, there will still be a follow-up video for you on notching in the future. And as for how they got spider mites in the first place, that is a very interesting story that I will be telling you all about in an upcoming video on how to get rid of and prevent houseplant pests :)

[@harrydavis6903]

Great tutorial. Very informative for us rubber plant owners. Thank you.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You’re welcome!

[@wolfitgood]

Started watching plant videos last year.... your videos are the best Ive found. The tips and info that we need, great explanations abs demonstrations without all the fluff. Thank you!!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thank you so much!

[@gvieveh101]

This was so helpful! I was nervous about doing this with my rubber tree, but now I feel like I understand the process more, and your demonstration was exactly what I needed to see. Thank you!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@granniji1049]

thank you so much for sharing. I've had great success with my fiddle leaf fig, but I wanted to know that someone has done it to the rubber plant, because I didn't want to cut my rubber plant. thank you so much. I am going to do this today and I will come back and provide and update. Again thank you so much.😊

[@plantitude8042]

I agree with a lot of others, that this was the best tutorial on notching I've seen. I actually did try this last summer on my fiddle but only 1 spot & it didn't work (I think I didn't notch deeply enough). I then air layered it & that worked out beautifully (it had lost its lower leaves due to getting too much sun in the spot I put it outside). I have others that I'm going to be braver with now, thanks so much for the video. And I thought it was the perfect length, btw.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thank you!

[@Robert_A_Keyboards4948]

Nice video! I like this, I will try this! I have a new rubber plant, so it will be awhile before I try this I want to make sure my plant is comfortable in it's new home before I start notching on it!!!!!!!!!

[@nataliemintz6507]

I took a cutting from a friend's ficus years ago and just stuck it into some dirt. It didn't grow very much until I had a window with eastern exposure. Now it's about 3.5 feet tall, and at least 3 of those feet was just in the last year or so!! It has new growth at the top, but I want it to get branchy. Thanks for the explanation and demo!

[@tanyacanam6258]

Absolutely the best information/explanation. The best! Thank you so much. So many shoddily researched 'experts' sharing 'information' out there!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Glad it was helpful!💚

[@PiaC67]

I have a fiddle leaf I need to notch this was great. Thanks

[@agustinfuchs3703]

Thank you! This was very helpful!! Southen hemisphere here, so I'll wait until the spring beggins here, but I will definetely try this method on my ficus tineke. I hope your channel grows big!!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Glad I could help!

[@sakurakhadag]

This is the best video I've seen on notching and pinching.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@iapprove8392]

Hi. Great video and explanation on how to make your rubber tree branch out. Do you have a follow up to this video?

[@princepalmer3329]

Really really informative. I've just purchased a tineke and the notching method looks brill.Ive never come across this before. Love the selfcare warnings of skin reaction too. Will certainly be following and watching more of your Vidio. THANKYOU.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You’re welcome!

[@marypramilaram2488]

Thank u. U covered everything I need to know in the most simple and systematic way so it's a learning. God bless.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You’re most welcome!

[@kevinmoore4237]

You're exceptionally good at explaining stuff. Mil gracias.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thank you!

[@kimgraham7742]

Thank you for this video. It’s definitely helpful to me. The lower leaves fell off my ficus burgundy. It was bushy and now it’s leggy so I will create some notches but I will wait till spring because it’s winter right now and very cold

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Glad it helped!

[@obiwanWasabi]

Very clear instruction

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thank you!

[@melg8475]

This was so good! you are a great teacher!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thank you!

[@Varun24191]

I would like to see the results. If it happens,I will surely try it on my Ficus

[@ArnoldQMudskipper]

15:37 Any links to the follow-up video?

[@ShyneDoll]

Well, this is the first time I'm hearing about not trying to branch plants that have not yet hardened, but still have green stems! Thank you! My efforts have been in vain til now :))) Now, do you or anyone else have a tip on how to promote growth/branching when I've already cut the top part, it shot the branch directly up, the same as it was with the old stem, but there are 2 tiny sprouts on the leafs just under the new branch. They all 3 were like those tiny sprouts, but only the top one grew into the branch. Now I'm wondering if there's any way to help those other two grow too.

[@fiiiigs_kk]

This is very helpful information. Thank you 🇯🇵

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You’re very welcome ☺️

[@dr.girlfriend]

Very helpful video! I'd love to see the follow-up if you have one.

[@farhatanzin1382]

Thank you so much for your detailed description and demonstration.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You’re very welcome!

[@maryjoanneecogana7744]

Wow so beautiful rubber plants

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thank you!

[@Aztecs911]

Excellent explanation and presentation. I like that you don't fill your video with unneeded fluff. All straight info. One question. I get the issue of taking the nodes into account when doing this. Do you have view regarding the left location when doing this. Meaning some plants have staggering leaf or opposing leaf patterns. Do you think the left location makes a difference on new branching or is it all on the nodes?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

I may be slightly confused on the question so I’m going to give my best answer based on what I think you’re saying. So ideally, if you have a spot where a leaf used to be you would want to notch right above where the leaf used to be connected at. Not only will that be right above a node but also right above an auxiliary bud and it will help fill in the gap where the leaf fell off. However, you can still notch above a node that doesn’t have a missing leaf because nodes will still have auxiliary buds regardless. For best results you want to notch above the auxiliary bud. So if said bud is on the left for a particular node then you’d be notching on the left side and if it’s on the right side for a different node then you’d be noticing on the right side. Does that make sense and is that what you were asking?

[@Aztecs911]

@@AlohaPlantLife Got it. The answer was better put than my question. Again your style of presentation is excellent. Keep it up.

[@rekhapatel3775]

Can we apply this technique on plumeria?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Plumeria grow in a different and somewhat unique way so I’m not sure this would work for them. My plumeria has done a pretty good job of just branching out on its own honestly.

[@andymujal6103]

Very nice looking rubber tree

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thank you!

[@babyblue1109]

Super helpful! Thank you!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You’re welcome!

[@janicelindegard6615]

If the plant needs repotting, would you repot first or notch then repot?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Hi Janice, excellent question! It depends on how badly it needs to be repotted. If it’s not in dire need, I would notch first and wait to repot until you have an inch or so of new branch growth. If it is in dire need, I would repot first and then wait 3-4 weeks before notching. Repotting and notching both cause a certain level of trauma to your plant. Doing them too close together could be too confusing for your plant and decrease your chances of success with your notching efforts.

[@kimberlykhabeer7933]

Thank you for this very informative video. Had never heard of this.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You’re welcome ☺️

[@rebeccamcpherson3433]

Thanks for posting a great video with so much info! My daughter wanted to help me with notching and she accidentally notched above the leaf node but off to the side. Can it produce if it's not done directly over the node?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

It could still work💚

[@lydiavazquez4411]

Hi, can I grow it outside in direct Florida sun? Thank you.

[@ma-igarcia3061]

Where can I find the update of the notching?

[@MsStephers]

Great tutorial!! Thank you so much.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You’re welcome💚

[@tracymayo7954]

Just found your page and was looking for the updated Video on the notching. Found the video of the full care but not the video you mentioned you were going to make with all parts combined...have you posted the update to notching them yet?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

I have not posted the post notching video yet because the branch is still super tiny and I want it to be more obvious how it turned out. I tried filming it with the branch as it is now, but when I was watching it back, it just is hard to tell what’s happening, so once it gets bigger I will re-record it and post it.

[@lauramarces8841]

Thanks Mam Aloha for the technique you share love 💕 you!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You’re welcome!

[@sharonbrown2753]

​@@AlohaPlantLife chip jhu

[@nur-ehafsa7525]

Very informative.

[@yoomaybro]

Thank you for sharing.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You’re welcome!

[@Aquamarine.Aubrey]

I have a ficus alii. Do you think these principles apply to this type of ficus too?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

It should! As long as it’s a woody stemmed plant it should work.

[@fwuteloop]

great tutorial! can we do this even if our tree hasn't developed a woody stem yet? Mine is pretty tall, almost 17inches, but the woodiness has only reached the first node from the bottom.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

In my experience you really need to wait until it gets more mature and woody

[@fwuteloop]

@@AlohaPlantLife thanks!

[@JaneB-b5p]

Cant find the follow up! Is there one? Thanks!

[@liztovar]

Thank you for the notching explanation, I want to know if I can spare some cinnamon in the notched place????

[@AlohaPlantLife]

It’s funny you mention this, as I was literally getting ready to experiment using rooting hormone when notching to see if increases success rate. I’ve heard cinnamon can be used as rooting hormone but I’ve never tried it, so I can’t really recommend it never having done it. I will be using Bontone II Rooting Powder in my experiment. If you do try the cinnamon let me know if it works!

[@lyndawalton3331]

Thank you for your demonstration, nice and clear and concise. My question is can I cut badly damaged leaves off? Then notch from bottom to top. Will new growth begin? First few years bad light, overwatered, so leafs burnt, curled and brown. New growth at top of tree though.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Absolutely can remove any bad leaves! Right above where you remove those leaves will be excellent places to notch. I would just wait a day or two after removing the leaves before notching right above them so it’s not too many shocking things to one area at once. I actually just did this same thing on one of mine after removing two older leaves that were reaching the end of their natural leaf life.

[@lyndawalton3331]

@@AlohaPlantLife oh excellent, thank you so much for your advice and your reply. I live in the U.K. and it’s mid spring now, so I will do the notching above the removed leaves now. We moved house and our Ficus is much happier, plus we have now got a moisture metre to check the pot for correct watering. 👍🏻🙏🏼

[@nikkishism]

What if its woody at the bottom but not the top half? can it be notched? Great video!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Yes but only notch in a woody part

[@happinessinleaf]

Thanks 😊. Happiness in leaf 🍃 vlog

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You’re welcome!

[@efranco2268]

Excellent. Thank you.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You are welcome!

[@justinechalman]

I just repotted my plant.. It is pretty tall! So now I want to notch it. Can I trim a couple leaves off the bottom? and should I wait a bit so It isn't in shock?? Thanks!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Yes you can trim some leaves off the bottom but I would give it at few weeks to adjust from repotting before notching it

[@rebeccamcpherson3433]

Witch fertilizer should I use for rubber trees?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

This is what I use: www.amazon.com/dp/B002LFEQ6G?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzan061ad3-20&creativeASIN=B002LFEQ6G&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.2MJTJE3FMRF0I&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ons_mixed_m_asin

[@sashareiko]

Do you notch right above or below a node? Or does it not matter?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Technically, no, it doesn’t matter because above one node is right below another💚

[@jzjzjjz896]

Thank you!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

You're welcome!💚

[@TheC3.]

I have pruned my large Tineke hoping it would fork. But it didn't; it grew a new branch in the same direction, just awkward looking. Now I know why!

[@gardeningkutumba6206]

Nice information

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thanks!

[@MyPlantWorld]

Very well explained

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thank you!

[@theconcretefish]

hi! can we get an update video please????

[@Bananabread8]

is there an update? thanks

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Hi, I’ve been giving updates periodically in other videos. It started branching but it sure has been a slow growing process and I tried filming the update video but is so small still you can’t tell it’s a branch and not just like a leaf bud. I also accidentally snapped the top growth point off about a month ago when moving it to water it, which triggered a branch at the top and that one is growing way faster so I feel like now it’s putting all its energy into that branch instead of the other one 😩. It’s highly frustrating when I’ve been waiting to film the follow up video. But a lot of you guys have been sharing your success stories with me too. I really wish people could share pics in the comments on here so everyone could see everyone else’s plants

[@bluebird635]

Hello...just watched this video. It gave me ideas and raised questions. I have a ficus elastica that is about 6 feet tall....just let me know if you still monitor this site.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

What’s your question

[@bluebird635]

@@AlohaPlantLife I have never heard of the concept of "notching." Although I have had this plant for about 26 yrs, I did not know what it was until about 3 yrs ago. It was 2 ft tall and never grew, never got watered, never died and it had beautiful green leaves so I kept it. And then I moved to my current place 3-1/2 yrs ago and suddenly my Unnamed Plant was 3 ft tall....and I started to water it. So I have all sorts of plant care questions. Did not even know the name. BUT the idea of notching --so that it will grow out not just up (?) is an interesting one. I have been wondering, for example, why there is "new" growth at the bottom of the tree but the top stuff just keeps growing out, never really "bushing out" as I would prefer. I might want to consider notching---but from watching your video (should watch again!) I wonder if you think notching is better for lower branches and not so much the top (?). BTW...the top is about 6 ft right now...I probably am not thinking of notching "that" ! Maybe something 3 or 4 feet up? .....I also took note of your conment (think it was you?) that a taller plant is liable to being blown over? Interesting! The plant is on the north-facing balcony during spring and summer and then indoors rest of year (east-facing slider there). And I have watering questions.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

@@bluebird635 definitely notch lower down.

[@bluebird635]

ok...from watching this video, I presume that right now, end of summer, is not the time for investigating the Fine Art of Notching. The local arboretum's plant clinic said to stop fertilizing the plant as summer is ended. Late Feb/early March for things like notching etc

[@bluebird635]

@@AlohaPlantLife Thanks. I went to the local arboretum the other day. They have a "Plant Cinic" for local inquirers. They told me "wait till March" for things like notching and rooting...this makes sense. I don't know if "alohaplantlife" means you are in Hawaii or not. But I am in the Midwest and so we have seasons. They said it was a "good idea" that I decided not to use fertilizer when I watered this plant on Thursday because growing season is coming to an end and days are growing shorter. But I LIKE the idea of notching! The plant is tall enough and needs some trimming and reshaping----once spring is on the way again! THANKS and let me know if you have other thoughts!

[@oscarpalm4863]

Update on the results?

[@abdulrazakalafandi1458]

You said to wait until it is brown. Does this apply for Banyan Tree (Ficus benghalensis)?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Yes💚

[@Kyle-ch2nk]

Good info thank you!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Glad it was helpful!💚

[@florenciamarasco2117]

Hey there! I just want my ficus elastica to get new leaves, not branches. Do you think that could be done by notching and then pruning the new growth so it doesn't get to the develop the branch?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Hi! You are literally the second person to ask me this exact question in the last hour! Unfortunately, these plants won’t grow new leaves back where old leaves were lost. Notching above where the old leaves were is your best bet for getting new growth, but odds are that the new growth will be a branch (though sometimes plants surprise us and do something we don’t expect). If you were to notch and then continually prune the new growth maybe that could work? But my concern with that would be if continually doing that is too traumatic to the plant then you could lose the new leaf there. And once that happens, you won’t be able to get anything else to grow in that spot again.

[@florenciamarasco2117]

@@AlohaPlantLife Well that makes sense. Thank you so much for such a prompt response!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

@@florenciamarasco2117 You’re welcome!

[@manethsenarathne7165]

Hey… im from sri lanka… did u notch same plant at 2 places? Can we notch same plant by many places… i mean around 3 notches at once?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Hi! Yes, depending on the size of the plant you can do 2-4 at a time since there’s typically only a 30% - 50% success rate for each notch you make. So, you could do 3 notches but only one might actually branch or you could get lucky and all three branch if that makes sense. Just make sure you’re not getting the notches too close together if you’re doing multiple ones so that you don’t accidentally weaken the stem to the point that it breaks off.

[@kristiemowry3267]

is this similar to air layering?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

No, air layering is WAY more complicated. This is just getting a plant to branch. Air layering is a form of propagation that basically involves growing a new plant off a branch of the mother plant in some type of growing medium. In air layering, you’re encouraging roots to grow from the cut section into the growing medium you’ve wrapped around the cut. With notching, you’re encouraging the auxiliary bud below where you notch to activate and thus grow a new branch. Hopefully that makes sense 🙃

[@martinbugge6220]

Thx for the tips! Where is the followup? :-)

[@MatyaKatya]

Oh dear. The actual notching takes place on the 14th minute. And no one mentions that a notch above the bud (not just empty space) will promote growth of the bud, and notching beneath a brunch or a bud will slow the growth of the same brunch or bud. Cheers everybody.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Your comment makes no sense, as where you notch is between two buds. So it is simultaneously both above and below a bud. And why would I notch before explaining to you about the process and how to do it? That could lead to disastrous results for people.

[@shivampatel-of1bc]

Please show the results too!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

I plan to! Unfortunately, both of these plants are currently in quarantine due to spider mites 🙄. Fingers crossed that we will be rid of the pests soon.

[@shivampatel-of1bc]

@@AlohaPlantLife I too am sick of spider mites. It's hot in my country 40°C so they are lots of spider mites. I spray cold water on them. How are you dealing with them?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

@@shivampatel-of1bc I start off by giving them a good spray down with water too. Then after they are dry I spray them down with either End All or Captain Jacks Dead Bug Brew. Though, I’m not convinced either of those products are actually working. Tomorrow I’m actually planning on making my own natural homemade spray and trying that out. If it works I will definitely make a video about.

[@shivampatel-of1bc]

@@AlohaPlantLife try neem oil too! All the best!

[@Believeflower]

Salam kenal untuk semua 🙏

[@lynneastcliff8234]

Where is the follow-up video?

[@AlohaPlantLife]

It’s coming, just taking time to grieve right now💚

[@sailorPinata]

no results ? :(

[@damic1686]

l o n g................

[@Wyrdmommy]

Rubbing alcohol sanitizes, it does not sterilize.

[@AlohaPlantLife]

It does what is needed

[@drrajanimanglawat9246]

You should keep it short dear, but it's very helpful

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Glad you found it helpful! I actually take extra time to timestamp all my videos so people can easily jump to the specific part they’re interested in if they don’t have time to watch the full video. I know sometimes we’re all in a rush (myself included) but I also don’t want to not include other information on the subject that others may be interested in knowing 🙂

[@wolfitgood]

I thought it was perfect. Thank you for your time and energy you give us doing those extra steps to make finding information even easier ❤️

[@justfacts7632]

You need to invest in a mic or talk louder please. Tq

[@AlohaPlantLife]

I was using a mic but this was the first video I used it on and I decided I hated it afterwards and returned it💚

[@nward6727]

There was way too much talking. Get to the action lady!

[@AlohaPlantLife]

If I don’t talk how would you understand and know what to do/not do?

[@obiwanWasabi]

Very clear instruction

[@AlohaPlantLife]

Thank you!