Why do gardeners use products such has perlite and vermiculite

[Michaelangelica]

Vermiculite is great mixed in with soil for plant growth.

 

You can buy bags of it pretty cheap..

It ha an amazing CEC ratio

but here (retail) it is very expnsive $8 for about 200g

 

Buffy this is for you 7 yours, god knows how it came to my desk

I might even try it myself.

DIY pots without fuss

You hand-mix the three dry ingredients (portland cement, light-weight perlite pellets and potting mix) with enough water to bring the blend to a consistency of "hour-old oatmeal," Larkin said. "When you squeeze it, you should only get a few drops of water."

 

Then you mold the mixture to any shape you like, as long as the walls are about 11/2 inches thick.

 

In the workshop, the students molded their cement to the inside of 14-inch plastic pots.

 

Rings of cut PVC pipe were used to leave drainage openings in the pot bottoms.

 

The wet cement mix stays in the mold for a day, then it's gently tapped out for shaping and texturing in its damp but firm state.

 

"To me, this is the most fun part," Larkin said. "This is when you get to be really creative."

 

At this stage, cement trowels can be used to make imperfections such as slits, ridges or uneven lips. Wire brushes are used to roughen the exteriors.

 

Once you have the look you like, the pot goes in a plastic garbage bag to cure for two to four weeks.

 

After that, you have a pot that's ready to plant.

 

The natural color of portland cement is a medium gray. But by adding cement dye to the mix, pots can be tinted green, darker gray, tan or whatever color you'd like.

 

"Moss usually grows on the sides of these," Larkin added.

 

By lining the mold with plastic bags or bubble wrap, you can get interesting creases and bumps on the pot exterior.

 

Add decorations by pressing shells, decorative stones or leaf impressions into the wet concrete.

 

You don't even have to shape the concrete into pot forms.

 

Troughs and solid orbs are other popular shapes.

 

"Some people even make little Japanese-style lanterns out of it," Larkin said. "You're limited only by your imagination."

MORE DETAIL HERE

Hypertufa is DIY pots without fuss

[Michaelangelica]

Vermiculite is great mixed in with soil for plant growth.

 

You can buy bags of it pretty cheap..

It has an amazing CEC ratio

but here (retail), it is very expensive- c$8 for about 200g

 

Buffy this is for you & yours, god knows how it came to my desk

I might even try it myself.

DIY pots without fuss

You hand-mix the three dry ingredients (portland cement, light-weight perlite pellets and potting mix) with enough water to bring the blend to a consistency of "hour-old oatmeal," Larkin said. "When you squeeze it, you should only get a few drops of water."

 

Then you mold the mixture to any shape you like, as long as the walls are about 11/2 inches thick.

 

In the workshop, the students molded their cement to the inside of 14-inch plastic pots.

 

Rings of cut PVC pipe were used to leave drainage openings in the pot bottoms.

 

The wet cement mix stays in the mold for a day, then it's gently tapped out for shaping and texturing in its damp but firm state.

 

"To me, this is the most fun part," Larkin said. "This is when you get to be really creative."

 

At this stage, cement trowels can be used to make imperfections such as slits, ridges or uneven lips. Wire brushes are used to roughen the exteriors.

 

Once you have the look you like, the pot goes in a plastic garbage bag to cure for two to four weeks.

 

After that, you have a pot that's ready to plant.

 

The natural color of portland cement is a medium gray. But by adding cement dye to the mix, pots can be tinted green, darker gray, tan or whatever color you'd like.

 

"Moss usually grows on the sides of these," Larkin added.

 

By lining the mold with plastic bags or bubble wrap, you can get interesting creases and bumps on the pot exterior.

 

Add decorations by pressing shells, decorative stones or leaf impressions into the wet concrete.

 

You don't even have to shape the concrete into pot forms.

 

Troughs and solid orbs are other popular shapes.

 

"Some people even make little Japanese-style lanterns out of it," Larkin said. "You're limited only by your imagination."

MORE DETAIL HERE

Hypertufa is DIY pots without fuss