A hypertufa is a man-made rock that consists of different aggregates that is combined together using Portland cement. It is inspired by a naturally-occurring rock known as tufa which can be typically located from springs abundant in lime. Most hypertufas are manufactured as garden ornaments. One of the most common kinds of hypertufa are gardening troughs, as they are incredibly tough and can withstand extreme winter conditions, unlike concrete pots. Hypertufa troughs are also simple to construct and can be done using household items. Listed below are the instructions on how to make one on your own.
The ingredients required for a hypertufa trough is 1 1/2 parts perlite, 1 1/2 parts peat moss, and 1 part Portland cement. Additionally, you will need a mold for your trough. Pick out an object that has a structure that can hold plants such as buckets, styrofoam ice chests, metal containers, pots, boxes and the like. In addition, protect your mold with a plastic or garbage bag so that it won’t stick to your hypertufa mixture. Also, you may also utilize oil lubricants if your mold is made of plastic.
The first step in building your hypertufa trough is mixing the ingredients with water. Mix it until you reach a firm moldable consistency. Then transfer the mixture to the mold that you’ve picked out. Fill up the mold to attain the desired appearance and ensure that you leave no gaps behind by compressing the mixture. If you are planning to put plants in that trough, it is a good idea to include drainage holes at the bottom using sticks or dowels.
After stuffing the mixture in your mold, you need to cover it up with a plastic bag and place it in an area where it won’t be disturbed. In about 24 to 36 hours, your trough will solidify enough so that you can already get rid of the mold. If you want, you can smoothen the top and edges employing a wire brush. Then, rewrap the trough with the plastic and allow it to sit again for more than three weeks, occasionally moisturizing it with water from time to time. You’ll know that your trough is already totally cured as soon as it creates a hollow knock when you tap it.
As a ultimate note, just before putting a plant in your trough, make certain you leach it first using water for over the next ten days or so. The freshly built trough has a lot of lime that are harmful to plants and therefore it is not a good idea to use it soon after curing it.