I call this schefflera "Monster"

MrDeeds

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image.jpeg This is my schefflera "Monster". It is a project in the making that started in May 2014. This is May '14 right after I finished construction. Inspired from David Fukumoto's (Fuku-Bonsai)son's creation "Tad's Ripple".

It's inner frame was built with heavy copper wire as a frame structure. 5 original arboricola plants were planted with a sphagnum moss/gritty mix and pumice mixture throughout. The entire "monster" was wrapped in aluminum foil sealed in with pruning tar. Months later masking tape was added over the black tar.

The inner roots will someday create the desired banyan trunk. Please check out the photos of this project progression...
 

MrDeeds

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May '15 it was growing out, being a happy tree. It lives outside from Mid May to October under our shaded pergola. I just let each plant grow freely to get the roots going. Our Jack Russell Gary keeping an eye over everythingimage.jpeg
 

MrDeeds

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January '16 it has filled out pretty nice. I started pruning back longer shoots and started getting some back budding going on.

This is the pic I took to show David Fukumoto before my trip to the Big Island where we did a workshop with him (which was an awesome experience!!) image.jpeg
 

barrosinc

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http://www.fukubonsai.com/4a3a.html
TadsRipple1.jpg
 

MrDeeds

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image.jpeg July '16 I defoliated the entire plant and cut back all branches. Here's a pic as the couple week defoliation process was happening. I had it on a self watering timer on my bench, notice the yellowing. Luckily pulled it and returned it to the shaded pergola on my porch
 

MrDeeds

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image.jpeg image.jpeg And here he is today. Leaves growing back nicely! The whole "monster" was rewrapped in duct tape as the foil and masking tape was starting to fall apart. The copper wire frame that was coming out the top was cut off. I've added a few more side branch plants as well that are starting to take.
 
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MrDeeds

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Has anyone tried this? Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated
 

choppychoppy

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Are you hoping to get one large trunk or lots of exposed roots ? What exactly are you trying to do ? A sketch maybe ?
 

MrDeeds

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image.png Hopefully looks like this. Tons of roots that fuse into eachother. Not one solid root but lots of them together. Like a banyan tree in the tropics
 

erb.75

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Has anyone tried this? Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated
i have been working on a schefflera that came originally from Fukubonsai 4 years ago...Fukubonsai's stuff is totally legit. this technique is really cool once it turns out (after looking at his results), but takes a lot of time. I'd suggest calling Fuku if you want to learn how to do it right
 

erb.75

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i did a workshop with him and I am hoping that in a couple more years i'll have a really sweet tree :) post when i have pictures
 

MrDeeds

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i have been working on a schefflera that came originally from Fukubonsai 4 years ago...Fukubonsai's stuff is totally legit. this technique is really cool once it turns out (after looking at his results), but takes a lot of time. I'd suggest calling Fuku if you want to learn how to do it right

Yeah I remember looking at your schefflera on his website when I was trying to put my plant together. Awesome! Like I said, I've been to Hawaii and have done a workshop with David. I put together this plant the same way as the plants we did with David. "Monster" is just much larger than the ones we did at Fuku. I don't think I need to call to learn how to do it right, it's exactly the same as what he showed me.image.jpegimage.jpeg
 

erb.75

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oh didn't know you had been down there too! i normally just look at the pictures and don't read the text ;)

i did find a supplier of magamp on ebay...the stuff that David gives us i absolutely love. I have been feeling like i've not used enough of it and at the beginning of the summer i gave some more to my plant and growth really took off through the roof. Are you still using magamp or have you started using an alternative? I know David was thinking about switching to something else because of supplier issues (at least last I heard on his website).

How long ago was that last picture taken? any chance to post a link on progress?
 

erb.75

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I wish I had a greenhouse that I could use to store tons of David's plants...they're really high quality! much better than some of the pre bonsai I see that are temperate climate trees
 

MrDeeds

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oh didn't know you had been down there too! i normally just look at the pictures and don't read the text ;)

i did find a supplier of magamp on ebay...the stuff that David gives us i absolutely love. I have been feeling like i've not used enough of it and at the beginning of the summer i gave some more to my plant and growth really took off through the roof. Are you still using magamp or have you started using an alternative? I know David was thinking about switching to something else because of supplier issues (at least last I heard on his website).

How long ago was that last picture taken? any chance to post a link on progress?


Sorry I'm new here so not sure how to post a link on progression but...

The picture at Fuku was in January '16. Looks like they're still using MagAmp and I haven't added any more since April. I do apply liquid fertilizer when my other trees get fed.

What I've seen is the foil breaks down pretty fast. I've started patching it with duct tape with relief holes poked into it.image.jpegimage.jpegimage.jpeg
 

Giga

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I've done this on one from lowes few years back - I ended up selling it but I may do it again as I'm wanting just one tropical bonsai(got rid of all tropical). Plus these guys are nearly indestructible
 
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