Hi all, hope you're having a nice weekend.
The tital suggests what this thread is about. One of the critisisms of tanuki is that the deadwood employed in the technique will rot over time, even if treated with a preservative before use, and with lime sulpher every year (also to bleach the wood). But surely this only applies to wood that is kept constantly damp, say if it was touching the potting medium. The tanuki could be stood on a brick with in the pot to elevate it out of the potting medium slightly, and this may help to extend it's 'life' (and stabilise it to prevent it falling over).
Please take a look at this tree:
http://pictures.bonsaitalk.com/show...=medium&cat=500
its not tanuki (or if it is its a very good one), but see how the shari is touching the potting medium and the moss? surely this would encourage rotting from near the base?
So, how long can we expect a tanuki to last for? If the deadwood of a tanuki could be kept dry (ignoring periodical rain) then would it last the lifetime of the tree attached to it? Just some thoughts
Regards