If you want to make it more durable, In addition to pearlite, peat moss and cement, add 1 part sand as well. Sand gives it more of a stone look too. Also, during the curing time keep it wet covered in a plastic. That gives it maximum strength. If you plan on carving it before it gets too hard, which I do, Sift through your peat moss to get out any large chunks and sticks.
Mam.. use Hot water while taking out the dried concrete pot... Hot water makes plastic outer basket to expand.. so than concrete pot easily comes out...
The purpose of these is to look like old stone troughs - and were originally used to mimic England’s old stone planters to plant alpines or other alkaline soil lovers. Another words - azaleas and acid lovers won’t be happy until a few years or so have gone by to leach the lime from the portland cement out or to amend the beds and test soil. It is the same situation with why you don’t plant azaleas etc right next to fresh concrete foundations. Also I think this is basically a cement pot - too much cement in the mix. The recipe garden clubs and Fine Gardening Magazine suggests is 2 parts portland cement to 3 of perlite and peat plus a handful of reinforcing fibers for added strengths. Or a 1 part portland to 1 1/2 each perlite and peat. Look I understand the eco issue on peat moss however most that we get is from canada and they are pretty strict on harvesting, and replanting because they don’t want to lose the source. The US doesn’t seem to have any restrictions but we don’t have much anyway so not a commercial venture. Use alternatives when you can but I’m now fairly convinced of Canada’s commitment to limited harvest and replant even if individual companies might be greedy. You can try coir fiber or the cocopeat but it would give you a different look and salt is an issue - coconuts grow in high salt ie beach and salt water.. You would want to soak/drain/repeat any coconut product a lot before using as salts kill plant roots. For orchids, even the coco chips that states is soaked, we soak again for a few days and drain a couple times. The stuff in high quality potting (read more expensive) mixes has been adequately soaked and buffered like ProMix but most growers like to flush it pretty well. Back to the pots - you can mix median length 3-5 inc spagnum moss in the mix or shredded paper. When it dries up and falls out - it will leave a very textured surface too. The reinforcing mesh Fine Gardening suggests is for strength not looks. In terms of how much cement - it depends on the look you want and the weight. The more portland cement - the more weight. Also the more cement, the higher the ph will be and the more alkaline it will be in terms of leaching. It all depends on what you want to grow and the weight you want to move. The weight is why we don’t use a standard concrete mix which is cement plus sand and aggregates. Here are 2 links - one is using the mix to cover thick styrafoam planters - www.finegardening.com/article/peg-shares-her-hypertufa-secrets And their original which includes 2 step curing, leaching method - www.finegardening.com/article/make-a-hypertufa-trough And for aging your regular clay pots for the traditional moss grow that costs a fortune to buy already done - There are prepared moss milkshake products and all kinds of moss - Moss Acres. If you want to use hypertufa pots to grow moss on the outside for shade growers etc - let it sit for a year or two or better, use it for a couple of yrs with alpines before transitioning to shade and moss. Most mosses like lower ph more acid conditions under 5.0 (really 4.5 and under) and will be difficult on new hypertufa or even new concrete which will be in the high 7s to 9s. The peat moss will help in lowering ph of the mix but not much. But you can play with your regular clay pots - just soak well, keep in shade - use an old blender with moss from your yard or purchase and blend with buttermilk, yogurt, beer, and paint on. Keep damp and in the shade. Full instructions - theherbgardener.blogspot.com/2009/06/growing-moss-on-garden-pots.html
You can use foam to make holes. If you are making a planter cut a small size pool noodle. Small planter I use soft foam to curl your hair. Any dollar tree has it.
This is a really nice tutorial on 'tufa. Thanks for posting. I show how to make hypertufa pots and leaf sculptures on my blog, Make It With Jason, if you want to learn more.
HI DENISE. i just seen the uk news a man contracted legionnaires disease from compost there have been two deaths and lots more become ill. apparently there was no warning on the package. so its great you where telling people to mask up and ware gloves.and they should also read what it says on the package.
Portland Cement doesn't come in bags smaller than 94 pounds unless you order online and even then they are at least 47 pounds. I want to start with a SMALL project and don't feel like paying for or trying to handle a 94-pound bag.
I finally made some two days ago. I had enough material for one good sized rectangle planter, and three smaller ones using bowls for molds. I let them set covered in the garage in the plastic bags for 48 hrs and when I turned the large one out it cracked and broke and when I tried to pick it up, it totally crumbled!! I was sick. The other three came out easily but they too broke in a million pieces and I literally could crumble the damp material with my hands. I’m sure if I mixed more cement with it I could use it again!! What did I do wrong??? I made a humongous container of it to have on hand. 4 of, Vermiculite, Pearlite, Pete moss and cement!! Why did it disintegrate!! The only logical explanation I can think of is if I miscounted when I added the cement!! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
It works on pretty much any size. I used a large yoga ball and it came out fabulous. You can also soak fabric in it and drape it over tables, etc for a neat, textured look.
The larger the planter, the more reinforcing material is needed to add strength. Especially of a long rectangle or sculpture with appendages (elephant trunk).
@@sundarselvaraj1394 well, essentially you use something like a ball or box, even a bucket as your mold. Apply some silicon to the surface, then take the mixture and coat the outside. Let it dry then add additional coats until it has the thickness you need. Then just slip it off your mold. For the fabric, you literally soak it in the mixture and drape it over something and let it dry. The fabric will assume the shape of whatever its draped over. There are some fabulous examples on Pinterest
What's up with you, people. Elsewhere it was said the mix should be of peanut butter consistency - here it is cottage cheese consistency. You guys are watching eay too much cooking channels. 😂😂😂😂😂
It should be strong once it’s fully cured. Cement actually doesn’t “dry”, it hardens from a chemical reaction. If you want the planter to be very strong, you might want to put wire mesh between the inner and outer molds. Sides and bottom.
if you follow this recipe your pot WON'T look like the ones in the photos in this video. It will look like the one that the actress made. The other pots had aggregates other that peat moss and vermiculite in them. Looks like maybe pea gravel?
Not very long the cement has a chemical reaction when it gets wet that starts the drying process trying to slow it too long can give you a clumpy gravel mass. best to make small batch mixtures.
This stuff dries too fast to reuse the same mould with the same batch of mix. Better to collect several moulds, or make up only what you can use. It was tolerant enough to allow me to make a bit extra to fill the pot I was making, but I had premixed a larger batch of the dry ingredients, then stored most of it, only adding water to some of the mix.
I understand that will depend on the texture you want. The same is true if you use vermiculite. The more course the particles, the greater the texture.
I have just bought a block of peat moss. Do I just crumble the dry peat moss or do I have to rehydrate and then crumble the moss and the use with my other mis? Please help, I am dying to try these pots.
+Ann Peters the peat moss is mixed in a 1:1:1 ratio with other dry ingredients (Portland cement & perlite or vermiculite). Find additional project details here: low.es/1NiypBD Thanks for watching our video.
+Ann Peters you can but without peat it's not a "true" hypertufa. As peat decomposes it leaves pits and crevices which mimic Tufa rock; coconut coir decomposes much more slowly so although it will hold up it will look different than pots made with peat. We found this recipe in several places: - 2 parts coconut coir - 1-1.5 parts perlite - 2 parts Portland cement - Add enough water to get right consistency Good luck!
+Lowe's Home Improvement Thank you so much for your help. I am a wee bitof a conservationist so might go the coir route. The peat moss is also very expensive. But once again thank you very much.
gorgeouspaintings Hello mate , hope you don’t mind me using a greeting of your country. Portland cement , is only a brand name for a manufacturer of cement in the U.S.A.( I guess it it still made in this country) any brand will do. I haven’t tried to make any of this stuff yet but soon as spring springs I am gonna see what I can do . At least I can make mess !💕🦋🌈👵🏻🐶
@@bettyhouk8727 Why do they call it Portland cement? When first made and used in the early 19th century in England, it was termed portland cement because its hydration product resembled a building stone from the Isle of Portland off the British coast. The first patent for portland cement was obtained in 1824 by Joseph Aspdin, an English mason.
Thank you .. I am still getting the Access denied message .. Access Denied You don't have permission to access "www.lowes.com/" on this server. Reference #18.46621502.1524064091.27045c51 and Access Denied You don't have permission to access "www.lowes.com/creative-ideas/woodworking-and-crafts/make-hypertufa-pots/project" on this server. Reference #18.46621502.1524064059.2702dd27
Google: "People also ask Is vermiculite bad for you? So when vermiculite is mined, the ore often contains asbestos. And while all asbestos is harmful and can cause lung cancer and other diseases, he said, the asbestos fiber usually found in vermiculite -- tremolite -- is particularly dangerous.Jan 21, 2001"
Well i came here because in interested in eliminating plastic from my life so I suppose i can use a wooden mold and a cloth instead of plastic to cover it I guess.
Standing applause for wanting to eliminate plastic from your life. Well done! You absolutely do not have to use plastic molds to make planters. I've used everything from large yoga balls to draping fabric over tables and even an old tree stump that later served as a planter itself. :) You're only limited by your imagination!
