Just bought my first bonsai: Arboricola Schefflera!

[Daggers]

So, I've been interested in bonsai for a but just bought my first one. It's this one here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bonsai-Arborico ... 7675.l2557 and it's getting shipped to me as we speak My goal is to make it look at banyan style like https://www.fukubonsai.com/images/large_ ... bonsai.jpg or https://www.bonsaihunk.us/pic/ScheffWeb/11Fubanyan.jpg and I like them to be around 6-8in high, for aesthetic reasons.

I've been doing research but I still have many questions as most places are quite vague. How exactly and when can I trim/prune? Such as location on the branch/shoot and how much and often. Can I just use regular scissors or the tiny scissors on my pocket knife? Also, in order for it to grow aerial roots, do I need to take it out of the pot and trim the roots?

I saw this thread: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 36&t=57522 on how to get aerial roots. So if I put my bonsai in a plastic bag with some water at the bottom of the bag and put another plastic bag over it to cover it and keep misting it for a couple days, aerial roots will show? I also heard of the straw method to help them grow and grow in the desired direction but I'm not 100% what to do for that. And is that something I want to do?

Sorry for all the questions but this is my first plant and I love bonsai! I want to make sure it lives as I've spent quite a bit of money on it ($30 shipped is a lot to me as a college student lol).

[Daggers]

Oh, and I live in Florida just in case that helps!

[Daggers]

It arrived today! It looked pretty root bound and there were roots sticking out the bottom drain hole so I took it out and pruned the roots and it's a lot better now. They were circling around the pot! I also took a couple leaves off the top since it was getting a bit too tall for my liking.

It came with 2 aerial roots! I also put a small rock in between some roots and buried it. Only a inch and a half to two inches long, it was the rock it came with. It's the one in the picture on the original ebay posting here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bonsai-Arborico ... 7675.l2557

[Gnome]

Daggers,

Hello and welcome to the forum.

How exactly and when can I trim/prune? Such as location on the branch/shoot and how much and often. Can I just use regular scissors or the tiny scissors on my pocket knife?

The usual advice for this species, advice which I have followed with success, is to defoliate and tip prune simultaneously. I have done this annually for the past two years.

Have a look at this thread.

As far as the aerial roots go I have difficulty growing them in my climate, just as I get a few buds started it's time to bring the plant indoors where the air is too dry.

Norm

[Daggers]

Would right before summer be a good time to do the defoliating and tip pruning? And great thread! Your bonsai tree looks amazing especially with the root over rock! Hopefully, since I'm in Florida, I won't have as much of a problem growing aerial roots. Even indoors it's more humid than other places outdoors. As I recall, this tree is native to Taiwan and conditions are similar here to there (I'm from Taiwan as well and visit from time to time). Taiwan is even hotter and more humid though!

[Gnome]

Daggers,

Would right before summer be a good time to do the defoliating and tip pruning?

The thread I linked to indicates that I defoliated on June 08 and by July 14 it had recovered nicely.

This year I was late and did not defoliate until August 09. I do not have a photograph indicating when it leafed back out but it is OK now. I do think it took longer to recover this year so next year I'll be sure to do it sooner.

Norm