posted
Oh my this sounds fun....You could make the pots any size you wanted AND any shape!
If I can find all the supplies I would like to start this project in a couple months after things settle down around here! But I am going to give it a try!
I read both links and they stated it was porous....do you personally make more holes using the masonary bit or leave it without making more holes? If the bottom happened to be upright ...say over an existing pot....is it possible to put say a straw or something poked in to make the hole and then remove it later? Would it crack an object that is was covering...say another pot...when starting to dry?
They say they are less wt. than concrete....how less? Can you give an approx. size and approx. wt for it????
What is the biggest size you have made?
Wonder if you could make a pond or birdbath and coat the inside with something so it wouldn't be porous and hold the water!!!! It would be a lot lighter I am presuming!!!!
How fast does the water comes through?
Are they light enough to possibly make holes in the rims during drying and make hanging pots as well or are they too heavy?
Did you have any problems getting any of the materials...would HOME DEPOT or LOWES have all of them....????
I'm sorry I have soo many ?'s but this seems so interesting to me.
Thanks, Rue
Oh yea ...Hi Rue
bbbbbbbbb
From: California | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged
posted
I have seen those done one of the HGTV shows.. They take cardboard boxes, bubble~wrap, put the bubble wrap inside against the walls, and then pour in the mixture, work up to the sides, poke 3, 4, 5 drainholes with a pencil or nail or something small and sharp while it's still wet. Takes a day or two to dry according to the temp/humidity and then let it set for a while, takes up to 3 weeks to "cure" I thought and to let the "LIME" leach out from the cement I thought. I have wanted to make those, they look relatively easy to make...
Rue, Do you mix one up at a time or do several at a time?? I remember them saying that the hardest work of all was just the mixing part. I had talked to my husband one time about making those and he said he'd get his buddies' cement mixer and do a bunch at the same time.
How much do you sell them for?? Do you do them plain or filled??
bbbbbbbbb Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
I make 1 wheelbarrow full of mix each time.
That will make 1 large natural, 1 small natural and a couple of "rocks" to use in the plantings.
I like mine more heavy duty so I use more cement. I have 1 light one and you can scratch it with your fingernail, but it has withstood 2 winters in zone 5 with no problem.
You do need to add a drainage holes. I have a drill I use but you can use a dowel or some kind of plastic pipe. They aren`t really porous but are holey because of where to peatmoss washes out of the cement on the outside surfaces.
All my troughs are at least 6 inched deep. My first and biggest is 16 inches by 24 inches and 10 inches deep. I was too anxious to take it out of it`s mold and my hubby had made a wooden one that I couldn`t take apart and I broke the bottom off of the sides, the sides stayed intact.
I set the bottom down on the raised granite blocks put some hypertufa mix around the perimeter of the base and "glued" the sides back onto the base, It is planted and growing and holding up just fine.
So if you break one of your troughs don`t throw them out just repair them, it adds character.
Mine are too heavy to hang, they sit on granite blocks.
I make and plant them in the spring so I can enjoy them during the summer then sell them in November. The planting look more established and moss has started to grow on them by then too.
$25 to $55 planted. I have seen them at garden shops priced at $45 for an empty one smaller than the one I sell for $25!!
I found the polyfiber at a cement place. Lowe`s has all the other stuff. The temperature has to be at 40 or above for comfort and curing.
bbbbbbbbb
From: IN | Registered: Dec 2003
| IP: Logged
Celebrating 10 years of helping your gardens grow!
| 
login | 
| 
| 
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[thumb]](graemlins/thumb.gif)
![[dunno]](graemlins/dunno.gif)
Can you give an approx. size and approx. wt for it????![[wayey]](graemlins/wavey.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[kitty]](graemlins/kitty.gif)
