Hypertufa pots
Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2015 4:03 pm
As I always say Pinterest made me a better teacher, but also a better gardner. This idea I saw on Pinterest and had to try it. So the idea is that you make your own pots that look like stone, but are light and cheap to make. So first you need three things: perlite, peat moss, and pure cement (no sand in it), plus water and some bucket. There are different recipes. The most I heard is to mix three parts of each, but this did not work for me, the pots were not strong enough. So I mix 2 containers of peat moss and perlite each, and 3 same size container of cement. Then you mix all together and add water slowly. There is no actual amount if water to be said, the mixture has to look like cottage cheese. I will take a picture of this mixture next time I am mixing one. It will be easier tnoo mold things this way.
Now you need containers from your recycling bin. I use only plastic and paper, but seen done with glass and metal, or even baskets, but on that later.
You will take two containers one inch bigger then the other. Do not go less then inch bigger, the walls need to be thick enoght so they do not crumble. As you see in the picture I put some other container with rocks to keep the smaller container from moving. The inside of the big container and the outside of the small one are cover with cooking oil.
The pots done like this way come out like this
I added some rocks to the top of this one while I was making it, push it in well so they do not fall out later.
You can see that the sides are very smooth and do not really look like stone. I am also going to try add cement color next time and see how that comes out. One of the pots I painted with little bit of chalk board paint and wrote with chalk name of a herb I planted in. This was my holiday gift, I forgote to take a picture...
I drill hole on a buttom and it is very easy. I take out the pots out of the molds after three days and I clean them up so they do not have sharp edges like I did here
If you want that stone look you have to line up your container with plastic bag first.
This is the first one I made like this so I will post picture of finish product later this week. As you can see there are two paper boxes, the bigger one covered with plastic bag. You can also do that with glass and wood baskets.
Btw usually the molds drying look much nicer, but it started to rain as I finished mixing the cement. I had 10 minutes to do this so the cement is not wasted.
I see that people also put decorative rocks or broken china, or even plants on the side of the pots, but I have not try this yet.
The important part is to have wall and bottom inch thick, put oil or plastic bag on the container so it is easlier to take it out. Also do not forget to drill hole on a bottom. So that is it for now. I will add more pictures as I create more.
Now you need containers from your recycling bin. I use only plastic and paper, but seen done with glass and metal, or even baskets, but on that later.
I drill hole on a buttom and it is very easy. I take out the pots out of the molds after three days and I clean them up so they do not have sharp edges like I did here
Btw usually the molds drying look much nicer, but it started to rain as I finished mixing the cement. I had 10 minutes to do this so the cement is not wasted.
I see that people also put decorative rocks or broken china, or even plants on the side of the pots, but I have not try this yet.
The important part is to have wall and bottom inch thick, put oil or plastic bag on the container so it is easlier to take it out. Also do not forget to drill hole on a bottom. So that is it for now. I will add more pictures as I create more.
