Here is hypertufa column I made. The first picture shows the entire column, the 2nd picture is the planter top of the column. I made two of these. They're about 4' tall.

I was wondering how I missed this! No wonder you've only just posted it! I really like the clean lines of this one. Curious, is there drainage for the planter top and how did you achieve the attractive darker flecks in the concrete?

Good Morning Debbie!

The column is built around a 4" PVC pipe. In the bottom of the planter portion are about 8 holes that drain into the PVC pipe. The pipe is open on the bottom so it drains onto the ground. The dark flecks are bigger pieces of peat moss in the hypertufa. Some of the dark spots are actually small holes where the peat moss has worn out of the tufa. I like the aged effect that give it.

You must have left the PVC in? How long did it take to cure?

Well duh, you DID say "hypertufa" column, of course there's peat moss in it.

I really like the "aged effect" too!

Lynn, yes, I built the tufa around the PVC and left it in for strength. I cure all my hypertufa and cement for 28 days.

I'm very familiar with concrete installations. Do you wet and/or cover hypertufa for the few few days of curing.

Hi Evan, yes, I place them in large (sealed) garbage bags and spray them with water every day or two. What kind of concrete installations do you do?

None personally, Just administering construction projects. I've seen everything from summer and winter installations of CIP to slurry walls, precaste, pre-stressed and most everything in between.

I've been looking at hypertufa for a while now for some home projects and hands on experience can't be beat. I've not seen a project as crisp in design yet weathered in appearance as yours. I like it. The overall feel I get is of an older limestone building which has just been cleaned. We saw a lot of that while I was living in Boston.

Is it possible to introduce things like small shells into the mix?

Sure, you can mix just about anything in hypertufa. I've used chicken grit, marbles, sawdust, gravel, etc. The reason this project is so smooth compared to most hypertufa is that I used a concrete tube for the bottom also. The PVC pipe was inside the concrete tube and the hypertufa is about 3" thick around the PVC. I really packed the hypertufa in with a wood 2x2 between the tube and PVC to get it nice and solid. The top was made in a large tub and I also packed that down really hard.

I use peat moss that hasn't been sifted. I end up with larger chunks in the tufa and I like the look when it wears away. A lot of people sift the peat moss first, I only pick out sticks and break up really big chunks.

Thanks Chris. I'll have to stop thinking and get to doing. Are those small hypertufa pots in your rockery? That whole area looks like a great idea for a foundation planting.

Yes, those are little pinch pots. That picture was from last year. I've expanded the area since then to this



Stop over to the Sempervivum forum, you'll get lots of ideas over there!

http://garden.org/forums/view/...

Nice!! Great idea and dozens of specimens to enjoy. That's what I like best about this place. Lots of great new ideas and good advice.

Now is if only had more time.....

Chris I love the one on the right. (well, actually I love them both I just can't seem to get my mind wrapped around doing the hypertufa projects. But that photo makes me really want to try. I will go back and re read all of your instructions on it again. Great job!

Thanks Debbie & June. The one on the right is the top of the column. Please let me know if you have any questions about hypertufa. I'm more than happy to help! Did you see this article on making hypertufa? http://garden.org/articles/vie...

Here are my very first hypertufa containers. No I didn't make them. These have been hand fashioned by goldfinch4 (Chris). They are a treasure to me and hold special plants.

Orostachy aggregatus and Sempervivum arachnoideum 'Rubrum', which will eventually fill in with very tiny webby semps.

Hi Lynn,
It's not really really hot, but kinda hot. Up into the 90's. Hot enough that the tomatoes quit setting fruit.
I have a disease where heat makes the symtoms worse, so I don't do well in heat. But I get lots of thick styrofoam boxes.

I really like the shape of the red hypertufa bowl.

It's what Chris calls a pinch pot. It is small and perfect for such a tiny semp as the one I just planted in it. Will probably not fill in until next spring. I can't wait to see it then. : )

When does cooler weather usually start up for you?
This is traditionally our hottest month (Aug) here. High 80's and up to 100 or so. Not sure what is going to happen this year. We are already going down into the 70's again starting tomorrow, for at least a few days.