The Benefits of Scrubbing Wooden Benches
Since deadwood is all the rage in the bonsai world, here’s quite a bit of it. Amazing we could find so much that was nice and straight, right?
Scrubbing benches with a bristle brush removes the buildup of algae and mold, helping to resist the decomposition of the wood. You will likely find the undersides of most wooden benches to be quite fresh looking. There is rarely a need to flip the bench and scrub the other side.
If you look closely, small lumps, clots, and mounds of recently scrubbed off algae cover the boards, soon to be washed off with a hose. Bobby sporting stripes, as usual. His stripy wardrobe has migrated to headgear, too.
And not just algae is removed. When we scrub, minute loose, decomposed wood particles are taken off that otherwise with a hard rain end up attached to the sides of our pots, like spackling. So this aerobic activity has an aesthetic benefit as well. Blasting with some Freddie Mercury or Maria Callas might help to loosen dirt, too. (We didn’t, just a suggestion.)
Try doing this during a wet week in the late fall or early spring, when trees are in winter quarters and already off the benches. A rain will loosen the organic buildup and make it easier to brush off. Mostly this is mechanical, although some may prefer the addition of Chlorox. Be sure to wash off with a strong hose blast before the scrubbed areas have dried…otherwise, rescrubbing commences. Which might be just another opportunity to play Callas, for some.
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Love opera in the background for bonsai work (Sat.1 pm date with Metropolitan Opera); keeps circulation going for wiring….maybe Callas would be good for scrubbing, but prefer tenors…..remember “A Fish Called Wanda?”
Thinking a little dose of lime sulfur might not be bad either
It is occasionally used, yes. For those of us with pots underneath the benches, though, it doesn’t work so well. They get pretty white.
In addition to the overall appearance, maintaining benches is important to keep pests away … borers, ants, root mealy bugs (in the tropics) and more!
It does help a whole host of things.
‘I want to break free’ by Freddie would be my preference
That would assuredly work wonders-
Pressure washers work well too.
I try to keep a noise-minimum yard, to the point of banning leaf blowers and such, and prefer the longer hours and exercise of scrubbing. Although my neighbors are loud enough, it’s just a dumb, hard-headed choice not to be more efficient.
The “Bonsai Bandit” is his new title!… 😉 lol
The man loves his stripes.
Pressure washers are actually not good for wood. There is the summer growth and the winter growth in the wood. I don’t remember which is softer, but pressure washing gouges the softer growth, resulting in a surface that is no longer smooth, but ridged.
Yes- pressure washers are a caution.
why not just cover them in a stain and sealant to prevent the need for this?
Can work, I prefer the natural silvering of the wood because I have a ‘grey’ theme going on in my backyard. So there’s more work involved.
Vinegar, after rained I spray vinegar on the bench then scrubbed it on each side. wash with water.
Vinegar is another good addition.