Equal amounts of Portland cement powder, peat moss and perlite or vermiculite. Water. Optional colorants. Recycled cardboard boxes, take out containers, plastic bowls, anything that's the size you want to make...mix it to thick mud consistency (holds its shape but doesn't ooze liquid). You can make all sorts of cool stuff for the garden, from simple pots to sculptures. I'm planning a fountain, would love advice from experienced hypertufa crafters.
Is anyone into hypertufa?
- Thread starter mishmish
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I've never heard of this, and had to look it up - sounds cool! Please post some pics once you have made something.
I made my first small piece but didn't know if it was going to be a bird bath or a planter so I didn't put a drainage hole in. Now I've decided it will be a planter so I need to drill a hole...I hope I don't break it trying. I'll post a picture when it's done I'm going to try a larger trough next, to be the base of a fountain. I'll try to take pictures of the whole process. The tough part, so far, is calculating the amount of dry materials needed to fill a given volume. In a funny way, it's kind of like soapmaking: you need to be patient because you can't unmold it until 24 to 48 hours have passed, then there's an interval where you have to keep it moist and shaded for a couple of weeks while the cement cures, and finally you have to leach out the excess alkalinity before you can plant anything in it.
some folk substitute polystyrene balls (from broken up old packaging) for the perlite/vermiculite (expanded rock)
cheaper and gives the same lightweight benefit
peat moss can be substituted with coir fibre (cheaper and similar binding benefit plus sustainable)
so the recipe becomes cement, coir fibre, polystyrene (optional chicken wire framing)
there is a local lady who makes pots from this and sells them
i would also like to see what you make
all garden art is awesome!
cheaper and gives the same lightweight benefit
peat moss can be substituted with coir fibre (cheaper and similar binding benefit plus sustainable)
so the recipe becomes cement, coir fibre, polystyrene (optional chicken wire framing)
there is a local lady who makes pots from this and sells them
i would also like to see what you make
all garden art is awesome!
Where is the mind-blown emoji??!! Where has this been all my life??!! I'm a huge gardener. I know you asked for experts to respond but I'm excited to learn about this.
I have made 100% cement creations from large hosta leaves but this seems like a much more manageable "dough."
I have made 100% cement creations from large hosta leaves but this seems like a much more manageable "dough."
Ugeauxgirl
Well-Known Member
Another one of those projects I've always wanted to try- and CAN now that I'm retired 
How interesting! I assume because it so porous that it’s not suitable for indoor plants, correct? I want to give these a shot. We go through so many pots and terra cotta can be pricey. I like the rugged look of these.
I do use hypertuffa for some indoor plants! Mostly orchids, but also some ferns and cactii. It needs a good drainage situation because they can leak in unexpected ways. Also, I've learned to leach them well before using - they can be very high in lime from the cement component.
