Lime-Sulfur
Donnie Burtschi
Lime-Sulfur. I was wondering if this was the same thing that is offered
in Bonsai catalogs for jin and shari?
Donnie Burtschi
Baytown, Tx USDA zone 9
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Alan Walker
Alan Walker, Lake Charles, LA, USA
Alan Walker
and I think these questions could be better answered from the collective
wisdom of the IBC, so I'm sending this response to the list as well.
I can give you some useful information. You are partially
correct. Lime sulfur is used to treat dead wood to prevent rot and decay.
It is sold as a fungicide. In addition, it has bleaching properties. This
helps the dead wood (commonly known in bonsai circles as jin [pronounced
like gene] or shari [rhymes with sorry], depending on where the dead wood
is located) to gain the bleached appearance that old wounds get in very dry
climates like California's deserts. To those of us in the humid Gulf
coast, this looks unnatural, because dead wood in our climate tends to rot
and disappear pretty quickly. It's more likely to be a gray color and
covered with lichen or moss. So, when we use lime sulfur, we are usually
trying to evoke an image which is foreign to us. It's also a losing cause
in our climate, unless we have a very dense, durable wood to work with.
I'm not sure about using lime sulfur to treat roots. My hunch is
that it would dissipate too quickly to help much. But that's not the main
problem here. Painting your roots with lime sulfur would merely be
treating the symptom without addressing the cause of the problem. It is
more productive to address the cause of your root rot. The cause is likely
a combination of overwatering and slow draining soil. First fix the cause,
then treat the symptoms.
Furthermore, I believe lime sulfur can be toxic to roots. I've
always been advised to avoid spilling undiluted lime sulfur on the soil of
a bonsai which is being treated with it to avoid killing the tree. Very
reputable and experienced people have taught me this. While I'm usually a
Missouri skeptic, I have not seen fit to risk the health of any of my
bonsai to test this theorem.
Lime sulfur, like any commercial pesticide or nutrient should be
applied according to label directions. Anything else is at your own risk
(and illegal). That said, many bonsaiists paint the lime sulfur directly
on the dead wood (after all bark has been removed) at full strength with
plastic drip covers to protect the soil from direct exposure. While I
don't believe this is a use described on the label, I doubt the
manufacturer is interested in wasting label space on such a limited use.
It is sold as a spray and is intended to be diluted.
Alan Walker, Lake Charles, LA, USA
> Thanks Alan. Another question or 2. I know it is used to treat dead
> wood and I think I read it being used on trunks to clean and/or lighten
> them in color. I have a Ficus ben. that has some scars from large
> branch removal that I waould like to lighten and also there are 2 what
> used to be large roots that come to and go just below the soil surface
> that are slowly rotting due to keeping the ficus well watered. There
> are some smaller roots that I ecouraged to grow that are a half inch or
> so back from the ends of these 2 large roots. Can I treat these ends
> with the lime-sulfur to stop the slow decay? I would like to save as
> much of them as possible since they add to the look of the tree. In
> time the smaller ones will replace them. If these are appropiate uses
> for lim-sulfur should it be diluted with water or used full strength?
> Again thanks for your help!
fw...@snip.net
probably is.
flex houvig
Zone 6 and warming!
fw...@snip.net
On 8 Mar 2000 10:11:13 -0800, chrysal...@WEBTV.NET (Donnie
Burtschi) wrote:
>A quick question. I have seen a product in my local nursury called
>Lime-Sulfur. I was wondering if this was the same thing that is offered
>in Bonsai catalogs for jin and shari?
>
RickB...@aol.com
<< I have a Ficus ben. that has some scars from large
> branch removal that I waould like to lighten and also there are 2 what
> used to be large roots that come to and go just below the soil surface
> that are slowly rotting due to keeping the ficus well watered. There
> are some smaller roots that I ecouraged to grow that are a half inch or
> so back from the ends of these 2 large roots. Can I treat these ends
> with the lime-sulfur to stop the slow decay? >>
Lime sulphur will not stop the decay but you could apply it to the exposed
portion of these dead roots to help slow the decay. As Alan said, I don't
think it would do any good to apply it to any sections below the soil line.
I would also imagine frequent retreating will be necessary.
Rick Choate <RickB...@aol.com>
S-most, Tx