Post #209261 by TikiJosh on Sat, Jan 21, 2006 11:15 AM

wow, that sounds like a heck of an undertaking. I had a bonsai for a while, and PJ is absolutely right. I over-watered mine, at least I think I did, and it went dead. It was super cool while it lasted. I would also advise that if you intend to trim it, don't overdo it. It's not a rosebush that needs to be cut back every year to the stems, just nip a twig here and there. :) Better yet, think about it for a week, and if a little snip is really needed, then go for it. You don't want to get overzealous with the scissors, otherwise you'll just have a bonsai stick. :)
I don't know much about umbrella trees, so I can't give you much specific advice. Your local bonsai club may not even know much about them, but if you can't find any info on the internet, they might be your best resource. I'm not sure I know what you mean by a banyan style root system. Do you want the roots above the ground, with multiple trunks coming out of it? Generally roots will come up to the surface when the plant gets "shallow" watering, as opposed to deep watering. I don't know that I'd try something like that as PJ's comment about water is spot on. The amount of water is definitely important! Tweaking it to make the roots grow a certain way may stress it, and these little guys do not handle stress well.
Well, best of luck!