Lime sulfur application on LIVING wood

I have a juniper I want to bonsai and have been slowly working on it over the past year and a half. I've cut back some branches with the intent on a deadwood effect. Some of the branches have very little if any foliage on them.

I got the idea for my tree when I watched this video on Youtube,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RSfptcgQ1o

My tree is similar in look and shape.

I wanted to tie a line of deadwood from the cut back branches (which are on the bottom and 1/4 way up the truck and will be bleached with lime sulfur) up the trunk to the tip of the apex. One of the branches near the soon the be apex will be wired downward to create the foliage pads.

Since the tree is living in every part I intend on applying the lime sulfur, can I strip the bark and apply the lime sulfur on the wood while its living and not effect the health of my tree? I've looked for endless hours and haven't found much on the subject.

How would I go about adding the deadwood to the apex? What I intend on turning into the dead apex is now living and has tons of foliage on it, its the current 'apex' of the unfinished tree. Would it be smarter to work the deadwood out on the bottom of the trunk, wait for it to recover then next year finish the effect by cutting back, stripping the rest of the bark and bleaching the top?

I will add pictures of the tree and what I'm planning tomorrow during the day. Any and all advice would be appreciated.

You only apply lime sulfur for the whitening effect to bare wood. Once you have peeled the bark from a tree, the wood undeneath is no longer "living." To apply LS to the top, you will have to peel away the area where you want the jin, carve it as necessary and then apply the LS.

Where you have freshly peeled away bark, the wood underneath will be wet. You should wait a week or so before applying the LS.

Most any good bonsai book will have info on creating "jin" and "shari."

Well that was helpful!  Thanks, Jim!  

Finally, would I be able to repot the tree this year after doing all the major wiring and styling?

I kinda went a different route on the tree than I explained in my first post.  

http://tinypic.com/r/2008vg6/5

I'm not sure what to do with the top (Yellow zip tie) and the mid (pink zip tie).  

Critique and thoughts on my work so far are welcomed!

JustinJames wrote:Well that was helpful!  Thanks, Jim!  

Finally, would I be able to repot the tree this year after doing all the major wiring and styling?

I suppose you could, depending on how much work you have done of the top. We haven't seen a picture of the original plant. Personally, I always prefer to wait a year.

I kinda went a different route on the tree than I explained in my first post.  

http://tinypic.com/r/2008vg6/5

I'm not sure what to do with the top (Yellow zip tie) and the mid (pink zip tie).  

There's not a lot up there at the top. I'd get rid of most (if not all) of it. The stuff in the middle should all go. You don't want a branch on the inside of a curve of the trunk. All of the foliage is pretty feathery and should be pulled in.

Here is a suggestion:



Critique and thoughts on my work so far are welcomed!

I got excited about working on it I completely forgot to take a before pic.  

The only thing I did to the top was wire the only branch (the only one thats wired) down.