Alternative methods for creating deadwood

[Nomad]

Lime sulfur was never my thing. Just seemed too white for me. A majority of the trees I base my mental images of bonsai are a result of the Adirondacks, where deadwood is either fresh or old and grayed. Sure it can be beautiful with a great juniper or pine, but with the locally collected larches and firs or anything conifer I may collect, they seem just too much. Mixing it with paint seems like another option, but it would be good to be mindful of other options.

I have heard of alternative methods for creating deadwood, one being instant-freeze spray or something in an article linked in a thread some months ago, but my attempts to find it again have been fruitless.

So has anyone heard of alternative methods for creating deadwood on bonsai? Or does anyone practice it?

Help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

You could just let it naturally age to gray, shouldn't take more than a season, then use a wood preservative to seal it. I am doing this with a box wood I have now. I have read in several books where some tint the lime sulfur with india ink to take away the stark whiteness of it. I have noticed that when I use lime sulfur, the bright whiteness only lasts a couple of months then gradually turns yellowish or grayish.

 

[october]

Lime sulfur was never my thing. Just seemed too white for me. A majority of the trees I base my mental images of bonsai are a result of the Adirondacks, where deadwood is either fresh or old and grayed. Sure it can be beautiful with a great juniper or pine, but with the locally collected larches and firs or anything conifer I may collect, they seem just too much. Mixing it with paint seems like another option, but it would be good to be mindful of other options.

I have heard of alternative methods for creating deadwood, one being instant-freeze spray or something in an article linked in a thread some months ago, but my attempts to find it again have been fruitless.

So has anyone heard of alternative methods for creating deadwood on bonsai? Or does anyone practice it?

Help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

There really is no need for alternative methods. Diluting the lime sulfur with water will minimize the effect. Another thing you can do is you add ink of the color you want to the mix. The deadwood that you are seeing in pictures and exhibitions that looks really white is because it was freshly painted for an exhibition or before photographing. You are seeing it at it's whitest point. Also, the effect doesn't last. Even the whitest deadwood will fade after 6 months - 1 year. I would just cut it with water by 25%-50%. I am pretty sure you will be happy with the results.

Rob