Just Like Making Mud Pies...Hypertufa Planters

Back in July, I arranged a hypertufa container class at 'Diann's Greenhouse' for the members of my EHC club.  Then serendipitously Himself's Bro #1 was visiting at the time.

We started by viewing a video of the process (that is Diann in the middle).

There are different components you can use to make hypertufa concrete...the trick being they have to be lighter than the normal sand and stones that are in regular concrete.

There are a lot of recipes on the 'Net...even one from Martha Stewart.  The recipe Diann used was 1:1:1 concrete, perlite, and peat moss.  It makes for lightweight concrete.  (I know that sounds like an oxymoron!) 

Diann does this in a big way and has her own concrete mixer!  I'll be using a wheelbarrow to mix mine in.  While it is dusty make sure you wear a mask.  It's pretty nasty stuff.

Once it's done, it just like making mud pies (except you have to wear gloves so the lime doesn't burn you).

Himself and Bro #1 busy at it.  Our container molds were plastic food containers; like those you get salad, fruit, or baked chicken in.

Working on our second container.

Just keep packing it in tight.

Make sure to do it in a flat box so you can move your container without bending and breaking the sides.

The containers had to cure for several weeks.

Then we cut them out of their molds.

They weren't completely dry so we had to be careful.

The big one Himself made.

Here they all are unmolded and drying a bit more.

And here they are about a month later all ready to go.

I'll be making more in the spring once I've decided where I want to place them.