Schefflera Arboricola Bonsai Trainer

[Hornet]

Looking great mate, making me want to give the species a go myself. I planted one in mums garden a good 10yrs ago, might be time to go retrieve it alone with some big ground grown lilly pillys and ficus

[alpineart]

Hi Hornet , mate , mums are good when they let rip their gardens apart . Just plant some nice flowers in there for her . I would like to see some pics of these in the garden , just tell your mum your sizing them up for some trimming .

Cheers Alpine

[alpineart]

Well the wife was busy cooking some treats so I treated her pot plant to a chop and re-pot .

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. I'm happy , waiting for the wife's approval , she might just think its another new plant

Cheers Alpineart

[Steve B]

That's a pretty impressive trim alpineart! Hope that has earned you the better half's approval?

As the weather starts to warm up, you could bring the canopy right in by cutting back to the last leaf on each branch. You normally get a number of new shoots springing up with nice small leaf clusters initially - particularly if you get some direct sun on them as they start to bud. Let them run if you want to build, or knock the growth tips off if you want to keep the leaves small and the canopy close.

If you haven't binned your offcuts yet you could drop them in a bit of potting mix (even a jar of water) and have a good chance of getting some roots shooting without hormone (might want to keep it inside or somewhere warm up your way this time of year though!). Looked like they had a bit of girth and movement about them? Logic being that you might have a replacement houseplant for the missus if you want to get your hands on the current one as it continues to improve at the current rate.....

[Steve B]

..... and Vaseline!

You might have read this one already, but good idea to smear some vas on any cuts you make as it stops that bit of dieback these Scheffs are prone to around cuts.....

[Neli]

I have two sheflera...dug them out from the garden. I was told that sheflera needs more open rounded canopy, due to the size of the leaf. I shall need some advise.
Nice sheflera! And they are very fast growing.

[alpineart]

Hi Steve B , Mate the cook hasn't spotted it yet . Each branches has numerous new shots at the base on each leaf , i basically just tip pruned it and will see how it reacts . Another option is to use the 2nd smaller branch just under the dowel spreader as the new leader keeping the zig-zag trunkline more balanced . All the severed branches were placed in the sand tray under the pergola . If they grow all good , if not nothing lost . When it drains it will be brought back inside and sat with the figs i'm nurturing , then the Mrs will know i hacked it a wee bit .

Cheers Alpine

[alpineart]

Hi Neli , i agree with the open rounded canopy or canopies just have to go with what the plant produces especially if its an older trunk . Most certainly can't wire the thick branches hence the dowel spreader so it will be developed by hack and chop then pinch and grow . They thrive on neglect which suits me as most of my tree's have been neglected for the last 18 months , all need a full re-think , hack , chop and style even as trainers .

Cheers Alpine

[fiveoffive]

I liked it before :/

[Neli]

I have sot of developed my own chop and grow for the sheflera, since it can not be wired too well.
If I have a branch that I want to make a sharp angle I nip it when very small making sure the last leaf points in the direction I want it to go. and then thicken it. Not thicken it and then chop it. That way you have a perfect bend with no scar whatsoever...and it cooks very nice.
I shall post my shefleras today.
I plan to go the banian way with mine, so I decided to have more horizontal branches. I use a packet tied around the branches but bellow the leafs...to create extra humidity...and recently saw someone cut the branch under where they want roots with a concave cutter...and put moss around till the roots come up. Then humidity will be needed for the roots to reach down.

[alpineart]

I liked it before :/

Hi Fiveoffive , so did I but , i was bored with it and needed something to hack .

Cheers Alpine

[alpineart]

Hi Neli . in the right climate most tropical plants grow profusely , however i come from the alpine region of N.E Victoria , we even had a flutter of snow this morning , very brief but its might cold , Growing Ariel roots on fig's for example is almost impossible unless the humidity is man made or manipulated . I try not to spend to much time on any one plant , too many plants to take care of does have its draw backs .

Cheers Alpine

[Neli]

I did not know that it gets so cold there. Thought if you grow sheflera it must be warm. Then you must be keeping it at home? I know what means to have too many bonsai....I can not count mine...But have some help with them...most are in the ground fattening so not much to do really. I shall soon start styling the loan blade by blade...

[Neli]

Tis is what I do to make aerial roots.
I think you can do it too...if you keep the sheflera at home in winter.

[alpineart]

Hi Neli , sorry i didn't see your reply here . Thats a good idea as the temps here usually kill any aerial roots on species that grow them naturally .

Cheers . Alpine