DIY Hypertufa Planters! New, Updated Instructions...Easy to Follow, Helpful Tips and Tricks.
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- Опубліковано 10 лют 2025
- If you are into plants and crafts, this video is for you! Learn how to easily make your own custom hypertufa planter. Hypertufas bring a natural look to your space, are very cost effective, and last for years! If you aren't familiar, hypertufas are lightweight cement based planters that are molded from existing pots, planters, forms, etc. They age with time, growing moss and lichens, giving them a natural weathered look.
As allows, please wear a mask and gloves for extra precaution.
Hey Brad - Just wanted to let you know that I shared this instructional video with my high school class as part of my Landscape and Horticulture program. We followed your recipe and steps with great success! A giant leap from non stick cooking spray. Also the point about sifting the peat was super smart. Kids got skeeved out over the fiberglas but we were masked and I always lead this project outdoors so they got over it. Thanks again. Pam, Sanford, ME
This is such a rewarding comment for me to read, thank you so much for taking the time to write and I’m so happy it worked out for you and the kids! Thanks for helping our youth learn and good luck to you! 🙏🙏
@@BuddhasBotanicalsI have been wanting to make this for quite some time and so glad I found your easy to follow video.
Thank you so much for sharing 🙏🥰
Thank you so much, that was the goal! Good luck and have fun 🙏
Alternative to fiberglass is cellulose fibre, purchased in compact bales then use a grass blower to fluff it it up ( 2 passes) eg feed lumps at front suck end and into the leaf bag . We use this in yeso for texture finish and strength [ from spain]
@@peternias7646 thanks for watching and commenting. I love hearing from people around the world; I’ve never heard of this but I’m interested. I’m definitely going to check this out, happy gardening 🙏
Best instructional video on UA-cam for HyperTufa! No long leadins or life stories, just instructions. GREAT JOB!
Thank you so much! Good luck and have fun making them!
I love that Spanish music in the background while you are mixing, Nice touch!
Hey, will these hold water? Could i make a water fountain with one of these?
Thanks! They do hold water (don’t be a drain hole in) but I’d recommend putting a concrete sealer on after it has cured. Also, if you live where you get winters, you will want to tip it upside down so it doesn’t crack.
Fountains are almost always leaky, anyhow. Your pump will easily outpace the leak, though. After curing, fill the "pot" up with water. If you have an intolerable leak, fill the hole with rtv silicone putty/spackling/gasket. (Home Depot etc.) Can coat the inside fully if there are many holes. If putty squirts through to the outside, smear a little soil on while it is still tacky.
This is the best hypertufa video I have watched. Thank you.
Wow, thank you!
Love this DIY...!!!
Thank you, it’s so much fun, I hope you try it!
Great video. Adding the fiberglass seems like a good idea. The pots should last a good deal longer that way.
Thank you 🙏 and yes they do. Even more importantly in northern cold areas.
thanks for sharing
My pleasure and thanks for watching and supporting. Hope you try it and have fun!
Thanks for the best video I've come across to get me started in south africa! I'm ŕeady to hypertofu now
Yes! Love connecting with people around the world! Have fun trying it and good luck 🙏
You are such a good teacher, Brad!! Could you add coloring to the cement? I can see these in greens and yellows.
Thank you! You get definitively add color. There are liquid cement dyes that I’ve added to the mixing water. Those are limited in colors however. And then you can always paint them after to whatever color you like.
Love this!!!! Thanks for sharing your wisdom AND for reminding people the importance of wearing a mask with this work!
You are so welcome! Hope you try it and have fun. Happy gardening 🙏🧑🌾
Thanks for showing.Enjoyed it,,😊👍
Thanks Greg, good luck if you try it and have fun doing it! I’m about to try making garden mushrooms out of the mixture. We will see how it turns out
Awesome instructions. Very clear and easy to understand. I’m inspired 😊
Awesome! Thank you! Good luck and I hope you try it! Lmk if you have any questions 🙏
Great video! This is exactly what I'll do for my smaller planters. But, if I were to use a large mold, say 22" half-barrel type planter, about how thick should I go to ensure durability? I figure I should probably taper to about an inch thick around the top of the planter, but will need much more material towards the base. For something this size, would I need to think about chicken wire or some other solid reinforcement? And what about curing times? I imagine they go up as thickness increases. Thank you!
Thanks. You are on the right path. I would suggest a 2” thick wall and base and I would use a metal reinforcement, chicken wire would work just fine but if you have any type of thin metal wire or fencing you can use that to save money. Chicken wire is flexible so that’s nice. Lay an inch thick, put in chicken wire, then another inch. I would do multiple drain holes as well. Finally, it will take longer to cure but not that much longer. Just be patient and after a week of drying, I’d try popping it out and then cure it for 2-3 weeks before planting.
Where did you find the clamshell fiber liner? Great video! I just made my first hypertufa using your recipe. It was so fun! I can't wait to make more.
Omg I love hearing this! So happy you did it and had fun. Unfortunately the company stopped making the clamshell years ago. I saved a few and just use them for hypertufas now. I am considering trying to find someone to 3d print me a mold. We will see.
Nice demo. It looks very easy to follow. Thanks! BTW have you done many larger containers. 10-20 gallon? I am wondering what extra consideration would be needed for that size. Also, Consider better background music. Something with wide appeal but not distracting. It really makes a difference.
Thanks for the tips, I’m working on getting better as an editor but it’s clearly not my forte 😂. Yes I have done big ones. For larger containers, I would suggest a 2” thick wall and base and I would use a metal reinforcement, chicken wire would work just fine but if you have any type of thin metal wire or fencing you can use that to save money. Chicken wire is flexible so that’s nice. Lay an inch thick, put in chicken wire, then another inch. I would do multiple drain holes as well. Finally, it will take longer to cure but not that much longer. Just be patient and after a week of drying, I’d try popping it out and then cure it for 2-3 weeks before planting.
Haha I liked the music
@@nacmegfeegle2310 thanks 🙏.
Great vid -- got a lot of tips hadn't seen in beginner tuts before. Now, can you use hypertufa as a candle lantern? does it burn?
I have not found them to be flammable. But would worry the intense heat would weaken the container to where it may crack. Maybe if there was a layer of something that buffered the heat it would work. But honestly I have not tried it so these are just my opinions. Anything is worth a shot one time, right? Good luck!
Hi i have a question. 😊. Would making the mix with more water be ok too? Have ur big bowl then a small bowl inside and pour the mixture in thr open area and let dry like that?
I wouldn’t add too much water but you can add a little more, maybe scoop it in. You’d also have to weigh down the center bowl securely so it doesn’t lift when curing. Also get a stick and push it in and out to remove air pockets. Good luck.
Hi! A lot of people say to soak these pots in water (or other various methods) for a week or so to leach out the alkalinity. I assume that isn't necessary?
Hi Lisa, it’s called curing. I leave mine outside for a few weeks and that does the trick. You can rinse them daily for a week to fast track it. I’ve never soaked them because I make so many, so I can’t speak to if it works or if there are any negatives.
I think they say the soaking make s it safe For plants but it seems the higher lime content is toxic only to some plants , not all
Thank you for the easy instructions. Can you tell me where you purchased your clamshell mold? Thank you
Hey there, I just responded to your other comment. And this was the newer video I mentioned but looks like you found it!
I tried these last year, but i made them way too thick. They were about 2 1/2 inches thick and there was hardly room left for the plant inside. Would and inch wide of hypertufa mix be enough to keep the pot from breaking easily?
Absolutely. My walls are about an inch wide and that’s plenty. If anything, I make the top rim a little wider for stability but 1” think is plenty!
Where did you get your fiber pots you use for a mold? I can't find any that are decorative like yours.
They were hanging baskets I use to plant up but the company stopped making them years ago so I only have 5 left I’ve kept for molds. They were very popular so I have no idea why they stopped producing them.
Great videos, Brad. SO where can I get one of those clamshell fiber pots? I have searched Google. BUPKUS!!!
Ive never added fibreglass, and mine last a long time, and I use them for potplants
That’s great, I have done some without as well and no issues but since I sell these and for the little cost, I figure it’s a good practice. Never tried white Portland, may have to look into that this year, thanks 🙏.
I have only made regular cement with sand and cement, and the ones I got the cement proportioned properly are at least ten years old. But since the fiberglass is relatively cheap, I think I will get some and do both ways when I use the peat. I am looking forward to the lighter weight with the peat.
@@lilolmecj that’s awesome! I think you will be pleasantly surprised with how light they are with peat. Good luck and have fun!
@@BuddhasBotanicals as a person ages the weight truly becomes an issue! It is funny, when I made my favorite bird water bowl I really didn’t know what I was doing, but it occurred to me I could sandwich two bowls together to hold the cement in place. It is just very visually pleasing to me.
Great video. A question, mine is curing in the garage now. The colour is quite brown. Will it lighten to a grey when it is fully cured?
They do lighten up quite a bit once they are dry and you can place in sun for a few weeks too. This is assuming you followed my recipe. If you used something else, the color may be more brown than mine are.
Thanks for the reply. I didn't use Portlands cement so it might look different. Just another question, I am using mine as a water basin under a running fountain. I was wondering if it will hold together or if the water will dissolve the vermiculite and it'll fall apart? Most people use them as pots but I am using mine a little differently.@@BuddhasBotanicals
I have no experience with using them as water basins so I can’t confidently give you an answer. My best insight is that the pot won’t last as long however I still think you’ll get at least 4-5 years, maybe more.
@@Jamesbaxter33 Seal it with cement sealer; that should help a lot.
Will these pots hold water for a water feature idea?
They will if you seal or paint them. I’ve used leaf impressions with a hole, painted them and then put a pipe through hole and had a little fountain going into my koi pond.
Are fiberglass shreds an actual retail product? Thanks.
Yes they are, you can get them on Amazon. Here’s the link.
a.co/d/3BYRMqT
Will it work to use coconut coir instead of peat moss?
Yes you can absolutely use coconut coir. It’s not as easy to work with but it’s not too difficult either.
Super ! où trouver les éclats de fibre de verre svp ? je ne trouve pas 🙄
I bought on Amazon, do you have Amazon? Here’s the link to the product I bought.
a.co/d/aUua2yB
J'ai acheté sur Amazon, avez-vous Amazon ? Voici le lien vers le produit que j'ai acheté.
@@BuddhasBotanicals merci beaucoup 🤩
WHAT is the purpose of peat moss ? I'm looking for many substitutes.
The main reason is that it slowly decomposes, leaving cracks and crevices, which makes the planter look similar to natural “tufa” rock. It also makes the planter more lightweight. 🙏
You can also use cocopeat
@@neosrealitycheck yes you can. I haven’t yet though, have you? Curious to the results, I would imagine they would look very similar.
@@BuddhasBotanicals yes sir, it works quite well actually. I’m an American living here in the Philippines and cocopeat is abundant here. If you have a FB page, I can post a pic there where I can show you what it looks like 👍
@@neosrealitycheck PLEASE share a picture! Thank You!
Hello great video. Where can I buy these needed products?
You should be able to get most of that stuff from Amazon and Home Depot/lowes . I did anyway. Local garden centers may have some of these products as well.
@@BuddhasBotanicals OK great cause I was checking to see if you had listed the items and place a purchase down below but I didn’t see anything
@@amandatorres3176 ya sorry I’m still learning all the editing and putting those things in the comments to help people. If you’d like email me the links I can verify what you are going to order is legit. FarmerBradTheGardener@gmail.com
Where can I purchase a cram shell at?
Unfortunately they are no longer in production. They were very popular so I have no idea why they stopped making them.
Do you or can you show what fiberglass you use and is it on Amazon?
a.co/d/eQdjgiD
And I use wuite portland as it takes color easier.
Definitely going to look into white Portland, thanks.
What are the benefits of hypertufa over other kind of planters?
As far as a plant goes, there’s not much benefit. It’s just a cool, inexpensive and natural looking planter. I will say being porous, creeping plants can root right into the outside of the pot which is very cool. Things like sedums, hens and chicks, moss,
Ivy, any of the strings, will all grow over and root into the outside of the pot over time.
❤❤❤❤
Thank you 🙏
So why can't you just mix cement and water like the directions are on the bag and make a pot that way? Why do you have to add the vermiculite or perlite and peat moss?
You can do it your way but the result is a very heavy container. The mixture makes it much lighter but also keeping it strong. It’s probably 3-4 times lighter than just concrete from a bag. Hope this helps 🙏
Oh, geez, please use gloves homes. Otherwise the best instructional seen on this topic!
I’m confused, I have gloves on…. And I even say to wear gloves and a mask. 🙏
British food security is a must 100 % behind you.
Thank you! 🙏 🙏🙏
Türkistan subtiiles please
I don’t think I can, I tried. I think you can do it on your end, sorry 🙏
You need to just move on down to Knoxville, Tennessee!!! lol!!! We need a really good nursery around here. We have 2 decent ones, but then it's just Lowes and Home Depot. You certainly wouldn't have to worry about your plants getting enough humidity!!! This year our temps went from 70's to mid 90's in June...it will stay between mid 80's-mid 90's until mid Sept, then it will be mid 70's to mid 80's until Nov. But the humidity will hover between 70 to 100% and it will feel like someone wrapped a hot, wet blanket around your head, and you'll sweat like a ho in church, lol! If you can get past the humidity, then there's all the extreme politics around here, (almost everyone is either a far right winger or a far left winger....with a smattering of some centrists walking around wondering how in a country of 300,000,000 people, these are the two only choices we have ???), but I tell you, it doesn't matter who lives next to you, you'll have some of the best neighbors you've ever had, politics be damned. You might have a little learning curve understanding the dialect, but we have a book for that, lol!!! If someone says they're aimin to head out to the store to trade, but have to tote a poke or two with them, that means they're planning on going to the grocery store and are taking bags with them because the local Aldi's charges for bags now. Oh, and a cannie is a canna lily...
I have been eyeing the Smokey mountains as a potential landing spot in the future, so beautiful down there. But my biggest struggle is leaving the ocean and all the delicious seafood we have up here. That would be tough for me.
@@BuddhasBotanicals I can understand that. The ocean calls me sometimes, I have to go at least once a year down to Destin, at least. You sure do some beautiful work, we'd love to have you here! The mountains are so beautiful in the fall...well, all year round, but especially around Halloween, that's peak time for the leaves. Come on down!