How to remove lime deposits?

[justBonsai]

I have hard water with lots of lime where I live. Pretty much all of my trees, but especially the elms show white discoloration and caking on the bark from lime. What is a good method to remove it? Also are there any water hose attachments that I can put on my hose to filter out the lime?

Thanks,
Julian

 

[Dav4]

A good read...http://bonsainut.com/index.php?posts/245208/

 

[Paradox]

That thread describes removing lime from pots, the OP asked about trunks.

Bleu I would try VERY gentle scrubbing with a very soft toothbrush and/or a soft scrub pad. You can get softer scrub pads than what come on a sponge. Ive seen a few different colored ones bundled at Home Depot. Each color is a different roughness I think. As far as filtering, I cant help you there. Maybe take a look at the plumbing department to see what is available and/as someone there.

 

[crust]

I think you should utilize the search function of the site---there is much on this subject. Check what others in your area are doing--you may have nasty water. If your water is full of minerals it may be easier to use RO water or captured rain water to avoid the headache--there is hose end filters but they won't work. Some folks resort to acid injecting their water. Once your water is fixed, tooth brushing deposits--then use vinegar with toothbrush helps remove the stuff.

 

[Smoke]

--then use vinegar with toothbrush helps remove the stuff.

In the pot with the tree?

 

[crust]

In the pot with the tree?

I have massaged the bark with vinegar, swabbed it with paper towels, then rinsed it. Luckily I don't have this problem anymore because I use rain water drawn from 900 gallon plus rain water storage.

 

[rockm]

I've had pretty good success removing lime scale by burying the pot for a few months under soil, or pine bark, other bark mulch or bark-based soil conditioner. The acidity of the mulch/soil will dissolve it. Sometimes it can take a while, though like six months.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Or a year...
https://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/2015/01/24/removing-calcium-deposits-from-pots/

 

[papymandarin]

i brush the trunk and nebari with a toothbrush and a mix of 50/50 water/white vinegar, scrub, let it for around 15minutes, then rinse by watering the tree, clean!