Perlite, Peat Moss and Portland Cement Hypertufa containers are created with a simple equivalent components combination of perlite, peat moss and Portland cement. For this project, we'll create two hypertufa containers--a large square 12"x12" grass and a little round 8" kettle--using old garden store plastic containers as our molds. We used 2 gallons each of perlite, peat moss and Portland cement.
Gather Your Tools You will need a large plastic bucket or other container to measure and mix your perlite, peat moss and Portland cement; plastic baskets for your hypertufa molds (we used 12"x12" and 8" plastic containers in the garden shop); a shovel for blending; a dust mask; gloves to protect your hands along with a trowel to press the hypertufa mixture against your hypertufa molds. You will also need a lubricant to permit your completed hypertufa pot to slip out of your plastic molds. Cooking spray, wheat germ or even a spray lubricant will do the task of releasing the hypertufa out of your mould.
Insert Peat Moss Add 1 part peat moss to a large plastic, water tight plastic bin.
Insert Portland Cement Add 1 part Portland cement to the bin. When working with Portland cement, use a dust mask and stay upwind Related Site. Wear gloves when mixing the substances together.
Mix in Portland Cement Add Portland cement into your trough.
Quantify Perlite Add one part perlite to some mixing trough.
Blend Together With a hoe or alternative long tool, combine the perlite, peat moss and Portland cement together.
Use Your Hands! To ensure all three substances are well-incorporated you may want to use your hands to ensure all of the lumps are out of the peat moss.
Almost There You're looking for a consistent gray color to ensure all components are mixed correctly.
Just Add Water Simply take this step quite slowly and add only a little bit of water at one time. If you add too much water, the hypertufa mix will not properly mould. The target is to combine approximately equal parts water into equal portions dry materials, but you might need less or more water. Add just a small bit of water at a time till you reach the desired consistency, which will be the consistency of cottage cheese. When the proper consistency is reached you should have the ability to form the hypertufa blend into a hamburger-like patty and it must hold together.
Incorporate Your Water Use a shovel or hoe to gradually blend in the water, analyzing the consistency along the way.
Fully Blend You may want to use your hands to make certain the water and sterile materials are thoroughly mixed. Wear gloves to protect your hands out of caustic materials from the mix.
The Appropriate Consistency If the dry and moist elements are correctly incorporated you will have the ability to form the mixture into a hamburger form. It will hang together as it reaches the proper consistency.
Spray Your Container Use your preferred mold launch oil-based spray or cloth (we used cooking spray) to coating the mold you will be producing the hypertufa in more tips here. This will allow the hypertufa to slide out of the mold once it's fully healed.
Press In Starting from the base, press approximately 3/4 to one-inch depth of your hypertufa mix into your preferred hypertufa mold.
Cover the Total Mold Ensure the desired thickness of hypertufa mix covers the mold. Do not worry if there's a roughness: those containers seem great when they're imperfect. But make sure you get all the air bubbles out by pressing the hypertufa mix against the mold form.
Amount Utilize your trowel to level off the top.
Make a Drain Hole Stick your finger all the way towards the base of the mould to present your hypertufa container a drain hole.
Cover Plastic Cover the hypertufa mould entirely at a plastic bag and set in a cool place out of sunlight to heal. After 24-36 hours, take the hypertufa pot from the mould and set it back into the plastic bag. Allow to cure another 2 weeks. Then you are ready to plant!
Duplicate Repeat the entire process with your next pot.
Finished Pot Your hypertufa bud has healed and is currently ready for some crops.
Add Rocks Place at your hypertufa pot's base or stones.
Add Soil Add a mixture of potting soil and compost. Or, if you plan on planting succulents, add a cactus mix.
Add Succulents Dramatically shaped succulents result in a gorgeous contrast to the textured appearance of your hypertufa pot.
Sterile A concrete brush is a nifty tool to clean off any stray potting soil and neaten up your newly potted plants.
All Done! You now have two amazing hypertufa pots. If you would like to add even more style to your container, you are able to grow moss on the container in about eight months by creating a mixture of moss and buttermilk in a blender and then brushing it onto the hypertufa surface and departing the container in a shady place. Find directions for making a spreadable moss mixture here.
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