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How-to make hypertufa garden troughs

May 2, 2023   •   Leave a Comment

These handmade hypertufa garden troughs mimic old stone and look great in the garden

by Jean, Roxanne, and Rita Riggs

Hypertufa is the name given to the plant containers made of cement, vermiculite (or perlite), peat, and fiberglass fibers. The name comes from the porous, volcanic rock (tufa) that is so popular with alpine gardeners because it can be hollowed out and used for planting.

The handmade containers described here have been popular since the 1930s, when the old stone sinks and watering troughs that were prized as planters for special small plants became hard to find and incredibly expensive, not to mention too heavy for the average person to handle.

Hypertufa planters have been used in English gardens for many years, and are being used more commonly in the United States as gardeners realize how good they look. They provide the drainage and the rough, rocky surface that displays the plants perfectly. We have found them to be excellent planters for many herb plants as well, including rosemary, lavender, thyme and santolina topiaries. Sedums, hens and chicks, and many choice miniatures seem to thrive in them as well.

The finished trough will take the shape of the mold you selected to build in or around. (Photos: Jean, Roxanne, and Rita Riggs)
The finished trough will take the shape of the mold you selected to build in or around. (Photos: Jean, Roxanne, and Rita Riggs)

Material List

  • Portland cement
  • Vermiculite or perlite
  • Sphagnum peat moss
  • Fibermesh fiberglass fibers (for reinforcement)
  • Molds
  • Mixing container (a wheelbarrow works well)
  • Measuring container
  • Rubber gloves with long sleeves
  • Water for mixing
  • Plastic drop cloth
  • Plastic garbage bags (to cover the molds so the mixture doesn’t stick to them)
  • Pencils or dowels to make drainage holes
  • Hardware cloth or chicken wire (optional; for extra reinforcement on larger troughs)

A few notes on the materials. It is preferable to use cement as opposed to concrete, which is a mixture of cement and aggregates (sand, gravel, etc.). You will often find the cement bags listed as “Portland cement.” It is best to avoid using sand in the hypertufa mix because it doesn’t seem to bond as well as the vermiculite or perlite, not to mention the fact that it makes the finished product much heavier. The fibermesh is obtainable from a building supply company and looks like tiny strands of white hair. Since the hypertufa is only part cement, the fibermesh helps add strength to the mixture.

Hypertufa recipes

Before you start, select a place in the shade where the newly molded trough can dry for several weeks, and where it doesn’t freeze. Spread the plastic drop cloth over your work surface.

Recipes for the hypertufa mixture vary quite a bit from reference to reference, but this one worked best for us:

  • (1) 60-pound bag of cement with fibermesh already mixed in
  • (4) 1-pound coffee cans of vermiculite
  • (4) 1-pound coffee cans of peat moss
  • A supply of water to mix the ingredients together into a stiff, mud pie consistency

The mixture should hold its shape without pooling water on the surface. If you get it too wet, add some dry ingredients and mix them in until the consistency is correct. For some of your molds, you may want to mix in a couple more handfuls of fibermesh for additional strength. We also found that we could better tell if the water proportion was correct if we mixed the materials with our gloved hands instead of using a hoe.

To illustrate the variance in recipes, others have had good luck with these proportions, which will yield a lighter trough:

  • 1 part cement
  • 1 part vermiculite or perlite
  • 1 part peat moss
  • 1/5 part fibermesh

Step-by-step instructions

Select a mold, which can be a sturdy cardboard box, small plastic tub, a metal pan, or something equivalent. You can build the trough on the outside or inside of this mold. If you build on the outside, you will be shaping and forming the trough’s exterior walls. If you build on the inside, the trough’s exterior walls will take the shape of the mold’s interior walls.

For building on the outside of the mold, cover it with plastic and then start patting the hypertufa mixture onto the mold. Remember that you are building the trough upside-down and the mold will be the trough’s planting (inside) area. We found that steep-sided molds worked better if we used the inside, and slope-sided molds could be done inside or out. The bottom should be 1-1/2 to 2 inches thick, and the sides should be at least 1 to 1-1/2 inches thick. Use the pencils or dowels to create several drainage holes in the bottom. Make sure the bottom is level or the final product will rock slightly.

If you are making a large trough, now is the time to consider adding the reinforcement wire, already shaped to the mold. Since it can be tricky getting the chicken wire to stay in place while you are patting away adding the hypertufa mix, it is preferable to simply build the joints (where the walls and bottom come together) sufficiently thick so that they are strong enough on their own.

The finished planter will often have the fuzzy hairs of the fibermesh sticking out. You can easily remove these by melting them with a handheld propane torch or barbeque lighter.
The finished planter will often have the fuzzy hairs of the fibermesh sticking out. You can easily remove these by melting them with a handheld propane torch or barbeque lighter.

Allow the trough to sit and dry for 2 or 3 days. If it is drying too fast or your work area is warm, mist it daily to keep the surfaces moist to avoid cracking. When the container is semihardened—that is, hard enough to not make a fingerprint, but still soft enough to scratch with your fingernail, you can unmold it, remove any plastic that sticks to it, and make whatever natural-looking gouges, artistic pictures, or signatures you want for the trough. Make sure the drainage holes haven’t filled in.

Removing the mold allows the hypertufa to dry thoroughly inside and out. Total drying time varies according to humidity and temperature. Ideally, you want the mixture to cure as slowly as possible since this will yield a stronger trough. You can achieve this longer curing time by covering the trough with plastic and misting it every couple days to keep the humidity high. Most recipes say to let them dry or cure until they sound hollow when tapped.

The finished planter will often have the fuzzy hairs of the fibermesh sticking out. You can easily remove these by melting them with a handheld propane torch or barbeque lighter. When the flame passes over the fibermesh, the hairs melt away quickly.

Some sources say to neutralize the chemicals in the cement by rinsing the trough repeatedly or by using chemicals. We prefer to avoid the chemicals and simply be patient. We let the troughs weather naturally by sitting outside through several rainfalls before planting. In terms of durability, our troughs have been left outside winter and summer, and they have not cracked or broken. They are somewhat heavy to move around (although not nearly as heavy as concrete), so if you make a large one, you may want to construct it where it is going to be placed.

The material cost to make your own trough is very low. Considerable savings can be had by making your own compared to purchasing an actual stone trough. And, of course, the satisfaction of knowing you built it yourself.

Jean and Roxanne Riggs operated Sunshine Farm and Garden in Oakland County, MI.

Related: Growing vegetables in containers

Elsewhere: Successful container gardening

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: garden container, hypertufa, hypertufa garden trough, trough

How to select the right potting soil

May 2, 2023   •   Leave a Comment

When it comes to choosing potting mixes, there are two basic types: soil-based and soilless mixes.
When it comes to choosing potting mixes, there are two basic types: soil-based and soilless mixes.

by Nancy Szerlag

When gardening in containers, just like gardening in the ground, success often depends on the soil. In order for plants to flourish, they must have a healthy root system. That’s why a good quality potting mix makes such a big difference on a plant’s ability to flower and thrive.

The soil in containers is watered far more frequently than garden soil. This continual bombardment of water droplets beats the potting soil down and compacts it, squashing all the little air pockets that allow oxygen to move through the soil. And roots need oxygen for healthy growth. In the garden, earthworms and soil dwellers are constantly tunneling about, creating new air spaces, but they are not present in containers. Also, the walls of the containers prevent outside air from circulating through the soil.

Soil vs. soilless mixes

When it comes to choosing potting mixes, there are two basic types: soil-based and soilless mixes.

The main ingredient usually found in soil-based potting mixes is reed sedge, also called Michigan peat. These products, the remains of reeds, sedges, grasses and other marsh plants, have been broken down to the point they look like dark brown or black, silt-like dirt. When added to a container, the fine particles, almost powder-like in nature, quickly settle and compact, leaving little or no space for air.

While reed sedge may look nutrient rich, it’s actually very lean. Reed sedge also has a very low moisture-holding capacity. However, when wet, because of its density, it becomes sodden and heavy. In spite of its drawbacks, a lot of folks use reed sedge-based potting mixes because they are, pardon the pun, dirt cheap.

Soilless potting mixes made of Canadian sphagnum peat moss, commonly called peat moss, cost quite a bit more than soil-based mixes, but in the long run they are well worth the expense. Canadian sphagnum peat moss is an all-organic, disease-free material that’s prized for its ability to grow great plants. A quality peat moss-based soilless potting mix gives gardeners the same medium that professionals have enjoyed for decades. Sphagnum peat moss has many more times the air space capacity than reed sedge. Plus, it has the capacity to hold nutrients as well as moisture.

Soilless mixes are also lighter; about one half the weight of a soil-based mix when soaked with water. They are also generally free from pests and diseases that may be harbored by ordinary garden soil or soil-based potting mixes.

Additional potting soil ingredients

Good quality potting soils also contain other ingredients such as vermiculite and perlite to further increase moisture retention, aeration and drainage. Composted forest products, such as fir bark, may also be added to increase friability and further improve drainage.

Once it dries out, sphagnum peat moss can be difficult to rewet, so many potting mixes also contain wetting agents. Not to be confused with moisture-holding polymers, these wetting agents, also called surfactants, are added to help the potting mix absorb water more readily.

Water-retaining polymers look like tiny bits of clear Jell-O when they are wet, and may be added to a potting soil to help increase its ability to retain water even further. This fascinating material, in a crystal-like form when dry, will hold up to 40 times its weight in water. Potting soils with moisture-retaining polymers are good to use in hanging planters and other sun-drenched pots that dry out quickly in the heat of summer.

Many potting soils also contain a slow-release fertilizer, which takes the hassle out of having to worry about feeding the plants. It should be noted however, that the fertilizer will release when the potting soil gets wet, so avoid broken bags and store the unused portion in a protected area where it will be kept dry.


Helpful planting hint

When planting containers, it’s always best to moisten the potting soil before planting. A mix of 2 to 3 parts potting soil to one part water will give you a moderately moist consistency that is easy to work with. To make sure the water absorbs evenly, mix up a batch several hours before planting. A five-gallon bucket with a lid or a large storage tote works well for both mixing and storing.


Specialty potting soils are formulated specifically for plants with special requirements, such as orchids, cacti and African violets. There are also special blends of container soil for aquatic plants that contain specially-processed clay that adds needed weight, but without the perlite or other products that float and foul pond water.

When shopping for potting soils it’s important to read the labels. There are few restrictions on the labeling of potting soils, so words like “professional” in a name or description means little. However, the makers of good quality potting soils do list their contents and the Federal Trade Commission regulates that the bag must contain a minimum of 75 percent peat moss to warrant the use of the term “peat moss” on the bag. Many companies also include detailed instructions on how to use their products as well as hints for successful planting.

Many independent garden centers have sample containers of various soil products for you to look at. It’s worth taking the time to grab a handful to get a feel of the various potting soils before you make a purchase.

If you use a lot of potting soil, for economy sake consider buying a commercial product that is typically packaged in larger bags. Nurseries that grow their own plants usually have these larger sizes on hand. They won’t contain the slow-release fertilizers and water-retaining polymers, but those products are also available in larger sizes, so you can mix up your own specialty potting soil and save some bucks.

Nancy Szerlag is a Master Gardener and Master Composter.

Related: Why doesn’t our garden have earthworms in the soil?

Elsewhere: Potting soils and seed-starting mixes for your garden

Filed Under: Tools and Techniques Tagged With: container gardening, potting soil, soil, soilless mixes

Improve water quality by selecting a healthy lawn care service

May 2, 2023   •   Leave a Comment

Rain and melting snow impact water quality through small amounts of oil, grease, soil, debris, and other pollutants carried to rivers, lakes, and wetlands. Lawn fertilizer and pesticides are among the pollutants that have been found in storm water runoff. Lawn service providers throughout southeastern Michigan are being asked to minimize fertilizer and pesticide use, but this chemical use reduction depends on the consumer interest as well.

A “one size fits all” approach to lawn care can result in the application of unnecessary quantities of fertilizer and herbicides. A healthy lawn care program depends on customers that know their own goals and are interested in an environmentally-friendly alternative to standard practices.

Depending on the type of grass you have, ask for an application rate of 2 to 4 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per 1000 square feet be applied to the lawn over the growing season.
Depending on the type of grass you have, ask for an application rate of 2 to 4 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per 1000 square feet be applied to the lawn over the growing season.

Questions to ask yourself

  • What are your lawn care goals? Are you concerned about potential pollution from storm water runoff? Are you concerned about exposure to lawn pesticides?
  • Are you interested in a “rescue operation” for your lawn to remove excessive weeds and/or to rejuvenate lawn grasses and soils—before starting a healthy lawn program?
  • Are a few weeds in your lawn acceptable? Are you willing to dig a few weeds by hand?
  • Are you willing to follow recommended mowing and watering practices? Tall grass (2-1/2 to 3 inches after cutting) is healthier and shades out many weeds. Regular watering (daily, if possible) is the most essential factor supporting a green, healthy lawn.
  • Are you willing to consider “extra” services such as core aeration or over-seeding? Seeding may be helpful for increasing turf density and crowding out weeds.
  • Are you interested in low-maintenance groundcovers in shady areas as a substitute for grass?

Questions to ask lawn care services

  • Do you offer an on-site consultation?
  • Are you willing to provide a program tailored to my lawn?
  • Do you obtain a soil test before recommending a fertilizer program?
  • Do you offer organic and/or slow-release nitrogen fertilizer options?
  • Do you offer a low-phosphorus or zero-phosphorus fertilizer option?
  • Do you offer reduced pesticide or zero-pesticide options?
  • Do you wait until May to begin fertilizer applications?

Lawn service programs

Alternative lawn care programs that address many of the above questions concerning fertilization and weed control are available from some firms. Here are examples of the programs offered:

Fertilizer options

Types of fertilizer – Slow-release fertilizers provide a steady supply of nutrients over an extended period of time, building healthy grass and reducing the potential for fertilizer runoff. Slow-release options include:

Organic fertilizers. Organic fertilizers are derived from remains or by-products of living organisms. Examples include bone meal, blood meal, cottonseed meal, fish emulsion, manures, and sewage sludge. Organic fertilizers enhance the biological activity of the soil system by contributing organic matter as well as a wide spectrum of macronutrients and micronutrients.

Synthetic fertilizers. Synthetic slow-release fertilizers may be applied in liquid or granular form. A formulation with 40 percent or more water insoluble nitrogen (W.I.N.) is recommended. 

Quantity of nitrogen fertilizer – Depending on the type of grass you have, ask for an application rate of 2 to 4 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per 1000 square feet be applied to the lawn over the growing season. Kentucky bluegrass typically requires 4 pounds, while fescues, ryegrasses, and grass mixtures require less. It is usually not necessary to begin fertilizing until May. Fall is the most important time to fertilize.

Low-phosphorus fertilizer – Ask for a low-phosphorus or zero phosphorus fertilizer to provide a high level of water quality protection.

Weed control options

Zero pesticide – No herbicide (or other pesticide) applied at any time.

Spot-treatment for weeds – The applicator identifies and treats for individual types of weeds. This approach minimizes herbicides and avoids the blanket application of a weed-and-feed combination.

One-time “rescue operation” for weed control – The applicator uses herbicides to remove significant quantities of weeds from the lawn. After the cleanup, a reduced herbicide program is followed.

Courtesy of SOCWA (Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority, www.socwa.org).

Elsewhere: Lawn Care without Pesticides

Related: Diagnosing and preventing brown spots in lawn

Filed Under: Healthy Lawns Tagged With: lawn care service, selecting, water quality

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