The Wonderful Hypertufa Planter … Probably The #1
Most Sought After DIY 'Tufa Garden Art Craft Project

It's really not hard to make, and almost everyone achieves a successful outcome on their first try. If you follow these simple guidelines, you'll be successful, too.

The hypertufa planter's shape is going to be dependent upon the mold you choose. Along with this consideration, please keep in mind the plants you wish to plant in it.

You don't want to make too small of a planter and end up disappointed because there isn't going to be enough room for the plants once they reach their mature sizes. Plan ahead. Pay attention to what kind of a height and width your chosen plants will grow to.

You have two options in mold making:

• You can cover the exterior sides and bottom with the 'tufa mixture; or
• You can cover the interior sides and bottom of your mold with your mixture

Keep this "interior / exterior" issue in mind, as it will affect the final size of the hypertufa planter. Your finished planter will be a few sizes smaller than the mold if you apply the 'tufa to the interior. And obviously larger than the mold if you apply it to the exterior. Either way works very well.

Some of the "ready-made" mold choices that are acceptable for this project are:

• Cardboard boxes
• Styrofoam ice-chests
• Plastic containers/planters
• Plastic dish pans
• Plastic kitty litter pans

You can make your own mold with:

• Wood (screw the pieces together)
• Polystyrene foam used for house insulation
• Large sheets of Styrofoam

A great idea for a reusable form: Butt the edges of your (4) pre-cut rigid foam sections; hold the edges together with bamboo or metal cooking skewers, or large nails; then wrap duct tape around the outside for added stability. Put this 4-sided form on a piece of plywood for a removable base.

Building Your Hypertufa Planter ... Let the Fun Begin :-)

You'll need to prepare your mold before you mix up your
'tufa recipe! Please read: Preparing Your Mold

Refer to the Hypertufa Recipes and Mixing Guidelines Pages to choose a recipe for this hypertufa planter project.

Remember: wear gloves at all times! Disposable latex gloves are a great idea to use when applying hypertufa and allow you more dexterity than the heavy gloves used for mixing. Hypertufa Safety Guidelines

If you are covering the exterior of the mold with 'tufa, turn it upside down on your work surface so you're able to cover the bottom. Start by building the mixture all around the base of the mold, gradually building up the sides and over onto the top. Pat and press, pat, pat and press the mixture as you work along. Aim for a thickness of about 1-1/2 inches of 'tufa.

If you're applying 'tufa to the inside of your mold, keep it in an upright position. Begin by applying the mixture to the bottom of the mold, gradually building up the sides. Pat and press, pat, pat and press the mixture as you work along. As always, the desired thickness of the walls and bottom should be 1-1/2 inches of hypertufa.

Make sure the corners are as thick as the sides! You don't want weak areas in your planter due to the hypertufa not being applied thickly enough.

Keep the base as flat and smooth as you can. This is especially important if you are applying the hypertufa to the exterior of your mold.

Here's a great tip: Use an object such as a bamboo barbeque skewer and mark it clealy at
1-1/2 inches. Use this to poke through the wet 'tufa, allowing you to check the thickness of the walls and bottom as you apply it. This will help insure that you are keeping your entire project 1-1/2" thick. Neat idea, eh? :-)

When you're finished with all the sides and bottom, if you desire a smoother look to your hypertufa planter, smooth the surfaces with semi-wet fingers.

Important step — Create drainage holes: using short lengths of ½" - 1" dia. dowels, poke the dowels through the 'tufa until they touch the base of your mold. The larger the planter, the more drainage holes I'd suggest you include. If you don't have dowels, use whatever you have on hand that can create holes ... no one is going to see them anyway when your planter is planted. They don't have to be perfectly shaped.

You're Almost Finished. On To The Final Step ...

Curing your planter is very important if you want it to last for many years. Please refer to my informative how-to article: Guidelines for Curing Hypertufa Successfully

• Forms for Hypertufa Projects: Which Ones Work the Best?
• Garden Stepping Stones to Simulate Flagstone
• Faux Rock: Guidelines for Successful Projects
• Leaf Casting: Understanding the Process
• Garden Spheres: How to Make Hollow Spheres
• Sculptures Made with Hypertufa: Guidelines & Recipe
• Growing Moss: How to Age Your 'Tufa Planters