Make Your Own Hypertufa Planter

If you like the rustic, enduring look of concrete planters, but not their bulk, it’s time you met hypertufa. Composed of various aggregates that are bound together by Portland cement, the main ingredient in grout, hypertufa creates pots and planters that weigh considerably less than concrete containers.

Developed in the 1930s to replicate stone troughs of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in England, hypertufa is a porous material that lends itself well to growing most plants. Best of all, you can create your own hypertufa containers in any shape and size you want.

Most hypertufa recipes call for measuring and mixing certain proportions of Portland cement, sphagnum peat moss, and perlite. Or you can take a shortcut and try out NativeCast’s “Cast Your Own” Hypertufa Hex DIY Kit, which mixes up quickly and easily without any measuring.

“We’ve streamlined the process and made it much simpler to make your own hypertufa containers,” says Ricky Giacco of NativeCast, who makes all of his garden planters and DIY kits in his rustic Pennsylvania studio.

The kits, which make tabletop planters that are perfect for indoor and outdoor use, come with everything you need to create your own hypertufa container, including a variety of molds, such as hearts, ovals, circles, rectangles, squares, stars and hexagons.

To make a NativeCast planter, you simply wet your mold box and stir the hypertufa ingredients with water in a disposable container. Once the mix is combined, you use a trowel to add the wet mix to the interior of your mold box, making sure to get even coverage and build up the walls to about ½-inch thick. Also use a troweling stick to create a hole in the bottom of the pot for drainage.

Wait 48 hours for the mold to dry. It will appear lightweight and lighter in color when it is completely cured. If the container is still somewhat heavy and dark in color, let it dry more. Still damp hypertufa containers break fairly easily. Once the container is definitely completely dried, cut away or peel off the mold to reveal your new trendy planter.

Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden writer and master gardener, who since 1985 has written for publications such as Organic Gardening, Wildflower, Better Homes and Gardens and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of seven books, including Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening, Fairy Gardening, The Strawberry Story, and Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and is the founder of HealthyHouseplants.com.