Rhododendron lysolepsis deadwood treatment

Today it was time to treat the deadwood of the Rhododendron lysolepsis. The summer has been dry but even though, the watering unavoidably will add some moss to the deadwood and trunk of trees. Today it was time to brush of the green areas in order to prevent rotting of the deadwood. After cleaning the area with a gentle toothbrush and a little harder steel brush, lime-sulphur is added to bleach the deadwood and protect it from fungus and rotting.

The treated area will be yellow at first, but after a few hours (if the treated area was moist) it will be white. Applied to completely dry wood, the lime-sulphur will take a few days turning white. I only do this when necessary on this specimen, because the white wood looks unnatural when freshly applied. After a few months it will turn into a more grey and natural look.