AusBonsai

I was lucky to score this old azalea a couple of weeks ago. Looks like it's had a rough life but has worked out for me as it has allot of character.
I used azalea potting medium and some akunama mixed in.
Just wondering if someone can advise me on removing that weird moss that's left on the trunk? I hear white vinegar is applicable?
Also am I safe to carve out some of the deadwood?
Thanks for any advice

A tooth brush will do it without vinegar

That's actually lichen. If it was mine I'd leave it on. It usually takes a long time to grow. I like it as it makes the tree look older.

The weird moss is lichen. It does not seem to do any harm but will respond to vinegar just like moss. Mix water vinegar 50/50 and spray or paint on the moss/lichen. A little of the mix running onto the soil will not do any harm and will be flushed away with the next watering.

Ah great thanks for all your replies. Any thoughts on carving, whether it's safe to do now?

Dead wood is dead wood all year round so it won't matter when you carve dead parts.
Trees also survive natural damage at any time of the year so even carving live sections is OK any time.
I take it the tree is well established in the pot? Working on recently repotted trees can compromise the really fragile new roots so try to defer any work that might vibrate or move the trunk on recently potted plants.
Azaleas have a reputation for dieback of pruning wounds so it is recommended that any fresh wounds be sealed after work.

Hi Shibui, no this tree was only recently put into this training pot after I dug it 2 weeks ago. As you said because it hasn't regained its full health I was thinking of just letting it settle for aprox a year then proceeding with further work. Hardest thing I find about bonsai is being patient and not digging in early haha

It probably has not had a chance to start new roots yet at this time of year but it is always best to let a tree settle in for a good long while before inflicting further damage.
Some azaleas recover quite quickly. Some have taken more than 2 years to grow enough new roots to hold them into the pots.
Use the tree as an indicator rather than a calendar or someone else's experience or advice.

Patience will come with experience. I can still remember wanting to rush in quickly