Making hypertufa planters that withstood -22 °F/The best recipe for cold climate!

[@JoyceMurdock-Feilke]

Great information Thank you. A safety suggestion would be to wear a mask when pouring the dry concrete into the tub because concrete dust is toxic to breathe.

[@Earthy-Artist]

I thought of this too, the concrete can harden inside of the lungs and cause health problems, very bad to breath it. Even peat moss isn't good to breath either. I wear a mask when using peat moss in the garden. If I don't I cough all night & the next day.

[@noeraldinkabam]

And safety glasses. Lungs and eyes are in the same range as your heart: very precious.

[@tsreiki]

I came here to say that :)

[@cyndanyia]

That’s the first thing I said when I saw this!

[@janeruge7396]

Wear a mask, please!!!!

[@loujones5388]

The recipe I use is a 1 part white Portland cement, 1 part peat moss, and 1 part perlite. The perlite helps keep the finished pieces lighter and easier to move around. Mine have lasted for years and I have found that plants love, love, love being planted in hypertufa pots. I used a 5 gallon bucket of each ingredient and poured them into a wheelbarrow which my husband turned with a shovel while I wet it down with a hose. You can make several large pieces with this amount, but it takes a strong person to keep turning the mixture. I like the idea of making smaller batches like you did which would be something I could do on my own. Also, I used cooking spray as release.

[@av1421]

Thank you!

[@libbyholt3863]

I think I will try your portions since I like the idea of as little cement as necessary. Thank you.

[@Ms.Understood_INTHEworld]

🌴HANK 🌱OU!

[@craigathonian]

Wonderful informative video. You can also dye the concrete different shades of colors by mixing in concrete pigment powder. Just wanted to point out to readers how important "curing" concrete is. To do it correctly concrete needs to stay evenly moist for several weeks. { where Irene wrapped her containers in plastic and placed in the shade.} Why this is crucial is the fact that during this time period crystals are formed within the matrix of the medium. It is these crystals that gives concrete its true strength and ability to age well. If this step is not given the proper attention, the structure will crumble in a couple months to a year. {Fun fact...One can actually feel the sculpture heat up during this process.}

[@gudesanchez2008]

Can you put up the names of the material to use I can’t figure it out . Thank you Grate video !

[@elenikaragianni7229]

🤝

[@magpie92766]

​@@gudesanchez2008 Portland cement, peat & vermiculite. She also added concrete reinforcing fibers.

[@sillililli01]

For the pot that looked like a pumpkin, instead of the bucket, use another bag filled with sand, more pliable and easier to remove. Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@liddybird3608]

Great idea!

[@kellykiley]

Use a compressor with an air hose and an attachment called a blow gun by putting the small nozzle into the edge of the mold the forced air will push the mold right out. Water works just as well. Nice job on your tufa pots.

[@magpiesmith971]

My mom made something like the boxed one but a solid block and carved several of them into various animal statues for her garden. They were beautiful and whimsical ❤

[@loujones5388]

That is a wonderful idea. I wish I had my daughter here. Her major in art school was sculpture! Thanks for posting that. Now, I will have to give it a go. Do you know how long she let it harden before she started sculpting it?

[@magpiesmith971]

@@loujones5388 all I remember is that she would check how firm it had set up several times until she felt she could carve a shape without compromising the rest of the “cube” of concrete mix. She used an old paring knife I think! 😊

[@finehowareyou]

that is fantastic!!!

[@siriward1913]

I’ve been researching how to do hypertufa and this is my favorite tutorial. Your pots are exactly what I hope mine will look like. Thank you for the excellent information, professional footage and all around fantastic lesson!

[@IrenesDIY]

Thanks a lot!!

[@harriotteworthington3147]

Another finish: put live moss, buttermilk, & water in a blender and pulverize. Put liquid in a spray bottle and spraycoat the vessels outer side. The buttermilk feeds the moss roots that dig into the little pockets/cracks of moss/vermiculite. Small fern spores do well, too.

[@liddybird3608]

I should have scrolled down before making my own comment! I love the fern idea.

[@bettyannecourtright4249]

Where do you get your ideas from. These planters are cool. And thank you for the mistake video too. It’s nice to see that everyone makes mistakes and fixes them.

[@deboraharmstrong3002]

To accelerate the moss growth .... find a handful of "Pretty Moss I Found In My Garden" and tear it up into small bits. Mix it thoroughly with a handful of garden dirt. Mix that with buttermilk, enough to make it sorta soupy and gooey...like pancake batter. Now paint it onto the outside of the planters, and let Nature do her worst!

[@M4R1N4]

Really, this is intriguing! But why buttermilk?

[@deboraharmstrong3002]

My teacher told us that buttermilk provides protein (protein = nitrogen?) for the early growth of the moss

[@Miranda-cw9hq]

Great video! You've worked many hours to make this video and it shows! Clear instructions and nice camera work. Well done!!

[@IrenesDIY]

Thanks a lot!!

[@xyz7572]

Nice video! Be sure to wear a face mask / breathing mask next time though! The dust from cement and concrete is very bad for the lungs; like you know how it’s very bad for the skin, it’s even worse for the lungs. Good luck with your future projects, and please be safe ❤️

[@joanies6778]

Exactly! When that dust gets into moist lungs... concrete. Seriously, wear a mask.

[@TsetsiStoyanova]

This is The best video on the subject on KZbin

[@DJ_Dutchess]

Can't wait to try this! I wanted to share that perlite is volcanic glass. I've used it for years in the garden but one day it blew back into my eyes and I wasn't wearing my glasses. I would recommend protective eyewear when using it, especially if pouring it straight from the bag. Happy Planting! 🪨🪴🥽

[@wayneessar7489]

She mentioned she used vermiculite a heat expanded Mica.

[@truthseeker444]

I am so glad Irene learned English, that she could share all these great vids with us :-)

[@lechatbotte.]

I love hypertufa. Yes the fibers cut down on cracking. They look amazing

[@HollyOak]

They look amazing. They really do look like stone. Thanks for showing the process.

[@juliagarrison9005]

I love how you are using whatever is around. So smart and ingenius! These planters look really great.

[@carlametcalfe4342]

I tried forever to figure out what the brown mixture was. They look amazing. Thanks for the English version

[@80sforever3]

Peat i think

[@mariabeckwith3336]

Dry peat that comes in a bale works much better

[@annagudmundsen4419]

I made many of very similar prox 7-8 years ago. I found a power washer made the perfect rustic surface in 1-2 minutes. Most of them are still going strong to this day. White cement give a more light sandstone look if you are into experimenting. Yours came out great ! Just keep in mind the power washer if you want to make many in no time.

[@IrenesDIY]

Thank you for the advice, will try using power washer for this!!

[@mariavillarroelrodriguez2697]

Que materiales se usan en español por favor

[@sharonmccollister4204]

When do you use the power washer?? When she rinsed then off and filled with water?? Please

[@annagudmundsen4419]

@@sharonmccollister4204 Instead of brush, it does the same as the brush, just much faster.

[@brianbassett4379]

Crude, basic, rough... and beautiful. Try blending some moss with buttermilk and spraying one that sits in the shade. Nice job.

[@artstartdiy]

The planter look great, I hadn’t heard of that peat trick. If you add yoghurt to the outside of the pots it will encourage moss growth❤️✨

[@liddybird3608]

I've heard buttermilk works too. You can make a slurry of moss and buttermilk and smear it on the surface, or so I've read. Always wanted to try it.

[@kring7665]

I've watched a couple of your videos and I'm very impressed with your creativity and attention to detail! You gave me some great inspiration for my garden planters. Thank you!

[@IrenesDIY]

Thanks!!

[@vickiebrowning5844]

thank you for the step-by-step and thank you for showing us your oopsie so we don't try the same. I like your planters. I'm looking forward to warm weather so I can get back to my hypertufa.

[@luzcruz4571]

I was looking for garden decorations and I came across your channel. 😊I loved these planters. You made the process seem so easy and doable. I'm going to try doing some planters.

[@AnaSilva-rs9xw]

I love them they came out so good ,especially the one you made with the boxes ! Can’t wait to make them

[@jsangel567]

Looked great! Really love the square planter and will definitely make one (or more)!

[@omaeve]

I have also used a styrofoam box on a piece of cardboard upside down and put the hyper tufa mix on the outside. I did everything on top of a picnic table under 2 shade trees.

[@joeljacq7486]

Madame, you are tough as rock! Great idea!

[@omar_rwemi]

The best fake rock tutorial I found on KZbin! It looks awesome. Thanks a lot for sharing this with us.

[@TinaLukey-cj8zx]

No it's not its dangerous safety lung hazard you must wear a mask she's just scooping that cement powder all that powder *

[@jamesfreda1903]

I like your outside ideas. Basic and simple. Thank you.

[@polly8844]

I love the idea they are so natural looking as if they were created by nature. I'm definitely going to try this. Thanks.

[@Lunasilenti]

Excellent video! Thank you for the information about curing, I just purchased a few bags of concrete to learn how to create planters and lawn ornaments and now you have expanded my ideas further...again, thank you!

[@lynneb.3935]

Thank you for this! I'm very glad to see that you use gloves (so many KZbin videos show people mixing cement without protection on hands, feet, etc). I would suggest a mask, too, especially when mixing fiberglass fiber. In fact, I looked at my local big box construction store (Home Depot for me), and there is what seems to be a safer alternative: Cellulose Blown-In Insulation (but in retrospect, I'm thinking they won't add strength). I don't know how this would hold up in these planters, but since Japanese studies showed that breathing fiberglass had the same effect on the lungs as asbestos 😳 I would rather take a chance with my pots, rather than my health. Please be cautious and stay safe.

[@IrenesDIY]

Thank you for your attention! The fibers I use is not fiberglass actually, this is synthetic fibers (like polyethylene or something) so they are not harmful for lungs! I wouldn't use fiberglass as well!

[@lynneb.3935]

@@IrenesDIY The links you posted are for fiberglass. 🤷‍♀

[@mercedesaschenbrenner9352]

Very beautiful. I used perlite in my project, it actually looks very nice, because is in the garden, the white specs will blend with the surroundings, don’t look bad at all. Subscribed! 👍🏼🌸

[@VickyCooksalot]

Love them! I'm in a place that just had snow last week and is still below freezing at night. But I have to try this.

[@jlm17533]

They look amazing!! Great job and glad to know they did good through the winter months ! Thanks for sharing ❤ from Canada 🇨🇦

[@TartNsweet2255]

New subscriber:We've made many of these hypertufa pieces in the past, but you've re-energized me to make more! Today, it was 40.56 Celsius....I'll wait till it cools off! (105° fahrenheit). -Eva, from sunny Texas

[@IrenesDIY]

Hi, Eva, sounds pretty hot! We have 36C today and it's really exhausting too🙈😁

[@intentionalbeauty]

Do you think this recipe she used for cold weather would be good for hot weather? I live in the keys and it’s warm but also humid so that may be a concern as well

[@handlewithcare999]

The bucket episode was hilarious, but the finished product is perfect.

[@berthasanchez6559]

Irina you are so talented they turn beautiful !

[@IrenesDIY]

Thanks!!

[@rhubarbrhub]

You (& your assistant ) did a great job, they look fab. Would love to give something like this a go... Tyvm 😊

[@TuckerSP2011]

These remind me of trough gardens. They turned out very well.

[@IO-zz2xy]

Thank you for sharing this fantastic "how to" instruction video. I am going to try making some for my water feature I am building. Regards from South Africa

[@anasoliscaballero6896]

Irina por fin te leo en español !!!!!!!! Estoy muy muy emocionada poder entender mejor tus excelentes videos me encanta, todo tu trabajo que haces todos los tutoriales son excelentes eres una manualista espectacular, te admiro desde la primera vez que vi. Dios te bendiga hermosa, bendiciones y un abrazo muy fuerte desde Chiapas, México.

[@IrenesDIY]

Gracias, Ana🥰

[@SarahGreen523]

Great inspiration for a diy fountain. It's great for plants too, I'm sure, but it's perfect for a fountain basin.

[@susanmyer1]

Awesome video. The instructions are well thought out and all the time you put into it was greatly appreciated.

[@currylaksa6489]

Well done! Love your pieces of artwork.

[@nattyw495]

Use a broken piece of brick to help with smoothing edges and bringing out areas that u like it will help like the wire brush, but can be more economical affordable..if you move the inside bucket within a hour it might've helped a bit better in removing it later.. they turned out very very pretty well done...

[@libbylandscape3560]

These are fabulous! Thank you for showing us how you made them and the recipe ❤️

[@lynn6799]

This is a great project idea. Im thinking this would be neat for decorative stepping stones and other potential decorations for outdoors or even custum garden bed borders. I'm going to have to give this a try.

[@soniaperez2417]

Beautiful!!! It was a lot of work....🤔 Your love for gardening is evident and is enjoyable to watch. Thank you!😊

[@terrihart2133]

These turned out fantastic. This is a great video.

[@jenniferkuperman2589]

Omgosh it's hard to choose a favourite, though the pot belly and the square box ones are fab.

[@beccygraham566]

new subscriber here, (uk), just watched several of your how to brilliant. clear, concise, and LOVE you show "whoopies". now to convince partner need some concrete- though he wont want to bring it home in his car.

[@christinahasapis746]

These are awesome. Love the rust colored one. The dark remind me of medieval morning stars

[@fludrbywest3886]

Love your DIY project! And love the way you think ❣️❣️🫶

[@anushkacindyshadiack1105]

They look awesome. I am trying this this year. Well done.

[@kurtauerbach5883]

I really like the organic look to this.

[@cath.lamontagne5357]

❤ Years ago, I read several articles on hypertuffa pots. One of the most interesting articles was about covering polystyrene (styrofoam) packing containers with a hyperfuffa mix. This was to create a more protected area for the root zone. Have you seen or heard of this procedure? In my area, it can get to be -40 in the winter, so cold hardiness is important.

[@janicemartin1580]

Thank you for mentioning this. I have some big styrofoam packing containers and was just wondering about using them. Currently I have my grow bags in them, to help with water retention in my hot SW high mountain desert climate. I'm going to try it!

[@marymoffat3836]

N

[@diegovillalobos5364]

That was very nice! Im doing it. Greetings from Costa Rica/U.S.A./Canada

[@marilyntyger5253]

I loved these planters. You gave us three different options. I never thought about using a ball or cardboard boxes. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@XoshBitt]

Another fantastic video and I am in love with the square planter!! No doubt I will be making one of these. Question… if you don’t put a hole in the bottom will it hold water? I would like to make it into a miniature water garden. Thanks again!

[@canoetripper4651]

Even if the planter didn't actually leak, the concrete absorbs water & it evaporates from the surface rapidly, so you'd have to frequently refill it. But it works well as a reservoir in a recirculating water feature where it sits in a small pool with a pump that pushes water up into the planter through a hose in the bottom & then flows over the sides back into the pool. If you make it shallow or place rocks in it, it makes a great birdbath. And the sound is delightful!

[@XoshBitt]

@@canoetripper4651 All good suggestions! Thanks for the response!!

[@dollmm23]

Love this project! Planters came out great. Thanks for writing the recipe for making them. 😊

[@libbyholt3863]

Well done tutorial! Thank you! I think I may try this idea for a bottomless pot. I once removed the bottom from a large black plastic planter that had been used at a nursery to contain small trees they were selling. I sank the pot a few inches into the ground, filled it with good potting mix, and planted a long suffering oregano that was barely clinging to life. The pot walls served as a kind of raised bed. I don't know if, long term, this was a great idea because I only lived there for another 3 or 4 years. But, the oregano really flourished during that time. Granted, there likely were other reasons, too - a shadier spot and nearer a good water source. It was nice, though, as a way of containing it, since this variety of oregano likes to spread, and of enabling me to better differentiate and sequester it from the surrounding ground cover.

[@glomontero6011]

I luv all the platers, thank you for all the work you put into them. I am going to try this. Thanks you.

[@Nowayjose-vd1wm]

Great video! Thank you so much for the recipe. Here in New York, we need something that can handle the severe cold as well so it should work perfectly!

[@Bronte866]

I have always loved the stone planters. They cost a fortune to buy, so this is great. I would like to start flower seeds in them, bulbs, Ivy, small roses. I would like to do a huge one but alas, no mold for that I guess. Thank you.

[@TupeloHoney6104]

You can build a sand mold to make an oversized planter. You form your sand shape on a piece of plywood and form the hypertufa over it.

[@shunawestern9153]

Those planters you made were absolutely gorgeous, they looked so realistic, and you made it look so easy. Well done. 🥰🇬🇧🐾🐾💖

[@roseplatel261]

Wow , beautiful project , keep up the. Good work thanks for the teaching

[@liddybird3608]

I like the square one with rounded edges the best. The one made with cardboard. It has the most convincing (to me) look of stone. Nice job!

[@cristinaruiz6242]

A-ma-zing! Your skills and creativity have no comparison to anyone l've seen on KZbin. Congratulations!

[@TheTamrock2007]

Hello Irene, I watched your beautiful birdbath and had to watch this one too. I love your creations. Going to save this and hopefully make some soon. Blessings from Georgia ❤

[@teresaholland4790]

Very nice work on this project ❤

[@skullingtonfly]

They look wonderful. I especially love the round shape 🥰

[@Angie-ci1lp]

AWESOME!👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@gilbertslalaland4986]

I loved your idea of using fiber … They look really sturdy . I’m using your hypertufa recioe . Thank you

[@atlantapage1153]

I loved this idea. Maybe use plastic pot to fill instead of metal or a bag of sand? I must try your recipe!

[@christinestraub1994]

LOVE LOVE LOVE YOUR TALENT LOTS OF WORK but so beautiful outcome

[@shadmoney6617]

Thank you so much!!! I know I have been bugging you something crazy about this project. I am so excited!!!!

[@IrenesDIY]

That's ok, I'm glad you liked it!!

[@Fcuuuk]

Thank you very much. Your work is the most natural I've seen yet and I'm excited to start your method.

[@christinalively8292]

Made these years ago and had forgotten the mixture ratios... Great video... Live the natural look

[@sheliawilliams2085]

What a great job! I love your work. Your gardens are beautiful, and the hypertufa planters are styled perfectly in your garden. I am so glad I found you!

[@grettalemabouchou6779]

Those are charming! Thank you for posting this Madame.

[@skullrose8985]

Oh wow I loved these..My favourite one was the one you done in the cardboard box..Thankyou for sharing such talent & information with us.. I grow vegtables,but I also want to grow flowers to attract bees & butterflies & other insects to my garden..I would love to give this a go,maybe one day..your planters look beautiful. Have a blessed & beautiful day & take care 🙏🏻☮🌻🐝🙏🏻☮🌻🐝..

[@lizamartinez3098]

Love the natural and rustic look, Thanks

[@judysingh3611]

Great job!!! They are beautiful!!!

[@savinggift158]

Thank you I am doing garden more cheaply now . Love your creativity 🎉🎉🎉well done

[@lindaed3594]

Your plants look so beautiful displayed in those fabulous planters you made. Please can you list the ingredients & amounts you used. That would be so helpful. Thank you. I did read through a number of comments to see if your recipe was listed but cannot see one; also cannot clearly hear this information in the video. Thank you for sharing your wonderful creativity with us. Much appreciated

[@tjtheis2426]

Great detailed instructions. Now I ' m ready to try this. Nice work!

[@Mulberrysmile]

If you don’t want to wait for moss, go out and find some native moss to collect. Put it in a blender with some some yogurt, then paint the mixture where you want the moss to grow.

[@leslie-gt5ip]

Thanks for sharing this. Your information was clear and very understandable. I've been thinking about doing a project like this and now I can!

[@FoggyHollowMan]

Excellent tutorial, thank you for sharing.

[@lindakleckner215]

Yeah they'll break down after a number of years I suppose. They are just beautiful though! You could probably substitute some other materials for the moss and vermiculite but if you want them to stay moist for moss growth on the outside I see why you would use those two ingredients. They turned out just great, nice job🌿!

[@susanchestney1918]

Thanks Irene! Great work.

[@a.m.d493]

It looks great,..I have also added peat free compost to my mix and it ages it beautifully!

[@PrayerOpensDoor]

Beautiful planters! Good job ♥️🇨🇦

[@jaysgardenandphotography]

Love it! They look so good!

[@bigtomatoplantslover6205]

Beautiful Garden~ Thank you for good sharing. Like 220 My friend, have a good day

[@Penn_chill]

Anyone know if these can be as a fountain/bubbler for bird baths? Love the details of the video and the fact you included ’goofs’ and didn’t let them bother you a bit! 👏

[@IrenesDIY]

Hi, in fact I'm using one of the bowls as a little water feature, so it could work, but you'll have to change water in it very often as it will get green. I'm using pool solution to keep water clean, but it will not work for a bird bath

[@Penn_chill]

@@IrenesDIY Thanks so much!

[@tessatusse]

Great videos. You are a great inspirations. Greetings from Norway.