Hi Folks,
I'm writing for your advice. I've scanned the forum for insights into Schefflera care and maintenance, and I have a tree-specific question for you. The Schefflera pictured below is 53 years old and meaningful to our family. It's obviously leggy and gangly. A few questions:
(1) Can I cut back severely (well below any leaf nodes) and expect new growth and branching to occur? I've marked hypothetical cut marks in yellow in the image below.
(2) If yes, any recommendations on how quickly I could cut back the main stems? I was thinking one to two major cuts every year over three to five years.
(3) I need to re-pot/re-soil the plant. Should that happen before, after, or at the same time as the pruning to avoid undue stress?
I've taken two cuttings that have successfully rooted, so the lineage continues, but I would really like to regenerate the parent tree to increase vigor and reduce height.
Thanks to you all for any insights!