Tiny Little Hypertufa Planters(1)

Little Hypertufa Planters ! So Cute!

I love making little hypertufa planters.

The little hypertufa planter  in my featured image shaped from a  cheese product box (rhymes with Melveeta) is one of my favorites. Everyone has room for this, on a window sill, or under a light somewhere, sitting on a rail on the deck. It’s one that most people are wanting to grab and pick up, since it is small enough to do so . Love a little row of sempervivums in it.

It is so exciting with  spring coming into this area, some days more than others. A sudden decision by Mother Nature to visit a “freeze” on us last night was a real kick in the pants. Last year 2014, we had an inch of snow during this week , and temperatures in the 20s . Mother Nature is reminding us not to get too hasty putting  those plants out.

Yes, I was with some of you out there last night bringing some hanging pots and small planters into the garage. Every year I try and restrain myself, but each year………………so anxious to jump the gun!

Don’t know what came over me, because I know it’s too early, but I still wanted to bring the tender succulents out from their glass terrariums where they’ve spent the winter.  I am so glad that I didn’t . But soon it will be able to keep the truly warm spring time, when the weather will allow me  to bring everything out and, most important,  make all the planters I want. If you live in a part of the world where you can make them all year,  I envy you. But then, maybe I would just burn out on hypertufa making ………

Nah!

Tiny Little Hypertufa Planters(1)

 

Maybe you have made “just a few more” as I have.

Or maybe just planting up some older ones whose plants didn’t make it. Some of my sempervivums don’t seem to have survived or at least look as if they didn’t. These look like a black dried-up pine cone. But if I leave it  alone and make sure it’s watered , it comes back again. Or maybe it just sends a new baby chick  or pup from what seems like dead compost-ready material. My daughter has a large urn filled with hens and chicks, and the mass just looks bigger every year even though it looks as  if it is just a pile of dead hens ready to be composted. It all grows up new in early spring. Now who could not LOVE a plant like that?

And now for the new look I am trying. I have collected some wire forms that I plan to use for an insert-type stand for some little hypertufa planters. What do you think?  I think the look is enhanced with those little wire frames.

Little Hypertufa Planters

I will need to create the mold with light wood or styrofoam since I don’t currently have any plastic form which is exactly the size I need. But I think they will make a pretty display once done. I have a pair of squared black wire forms are large enough to be a front porch display. Hurry warmer weather!

Remember as you plant up your hypertufa planters that you don’t need to add gravel in the bottom of the planter. Just use a coffee filter and place it over your drainage holes. You can use a layer of two or three filters if you like, but one is fine. It holds the soil inside the planter and will deteriorate into the soil gradually. Try it and you will see how easy it is. And there is definitely more room for plant roots! And lighter to carry around. I’ll bet I rearrange more than anyone in the city!

What are you prepping this spring? Let me know in the comments. I would like to hear from you. Happy Tufa Time!

Closing-Banner-hypertufa-gardener

9 Comments

  1. Annabelle Postles says:

    I have a very large foam ice chest (about 36″ X 20″) that I want to make into a faux hyper tufa planter. The outside is really “firm” and I had trouble making any headway with the wire brush. I finally just used the heat gun pretty close to it and it melted a little of the finish so it sorta looked like I’d brushed it. Is there any spray paint that I can use instead of brushing on the Latex? If I spray with regular spray paint the foam does melt a bit and it does look a bit like its supposed to. Any ideas?

    1. I have used a spray paint just lightly. Like you say, it melts it a bit. But for ease and convenience, you can use it. It might be more brittle and crunch more easily. I have coated them with cement slurry. That works too. I should make a post of that, right?

  2. Kathy Ziegenmier says:

    Where do you find these cute wire forms? I love the narrow pot you made with the cheese container. I don’t buy that kind of cheese but just might have to at least once.
    Are they plastic now instead of cardboard?

    1. I find those wire form things at tag sales or thrift shops. I get most of my forms there too. The cheese box I had was cardboard, but they have a “Rubbermaid” plastic container to fit your cheese block. You might find that. Or just use a small box from a gift, grocery store, etc. Or even nail for little boards together. Voila!

  3. This looks like so much fun to me! As if a hosta addiction wasn’t enough, this looks like a plant I could enjoy without constant fear of rabbits and voles! I am pinning so that I can be sure to go back and read all of the details in your previous posts! I didn’t even know what a hypertufa was until I clicked over from Learn to Blog….now I am really excited! 🙂

    1. Thank you Wendy. So glad I could show you something different to try.

  4. Awesome! Its actually amazing article, I have got much clear idea
    concerning from this post.

    1. Thanks so much. I am glad I could help.

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