hypertufa workshop

Just attended my first hypertufa workshop at the UF/IFAS Extension Service Orange County. A lot of fun, mess, and nice people. The workshop was well presented. My hypertufa pot is now curing in the garage.
Martha

Sounds like fun. You will have to give us a demo at one of our round ups at my house.
Congratulations at learning something new. I love to learn new things.
Bonnie

The program was very well done. The Orange County Extension Service headquarters is a well thought out place for classes, lectures and whatnot. They also have a demonstration garden in the back. I am considering taking the classes necessary to get my Master Gardener's certification.
Martha

well I unmolded my pot and it came out all right. This formula is lighter than the one I made before. now the trick is letting it cure. I am anxious to plant plants in it!
Martha

Maybe you can photograph it for us. If you get your certification, maybe you can give an education class to all of us. :-)

I too would love to learn how to do that. The woman that we bought our house from, left a few behind. They are rather shallow so i've only used them for starting seeds.

~ Missing my FL gardens, but am enjoying the cooler [DH says cold] temps up here in WI.

I still have not taken any pics of my plants yet...but hope to soon. Some of my hostas are doing quite well. But everything is so green.

Right now I could stand some of that cool. It is 97 here in Clermont today. Ug!

Enjoy your summer in the cooler climate. Think sweat for us all down here.

Bonnie -- I have been watching the heat. So glad we are up north, even with having a pool, hot is hot.

Currently I'm sitting next to an open window and it's probably mid 60's - expected 80 today. We do get hot and humid too, but our nights do cool down into the 60's in the summer months.

DH got a call from our neighbor yesterday, she said my flower beds look great.


Terese

terese,
you have to be really dedicated and have a lot of room to make a really big container because you have to leave it wrapped and in place for at least a month maybe more while it cures. I have seen large ones that held bonsai and giant dish gardens and one that was a small pond but the person that made them owned a nursery and had a whole area dedicated to their manufacture. He also had squads of well-muscled male employees to help him lug them around. He exhibited some of his bonsai and dish gardens at various flower shows but he primarily used them in the display garden of his nursery. He also taught a class at his annual open house.
Martha

Martha, I have enough tables we could have you do a demo here during a RU and everyone make something. Even a small pot would be a delight to accomplish and something all could take come to cure. Give it some thought.

If all goes well maybe we will have another RU at my place in Oct. I have several 8 ft. tables I keep out in our shed that would be ideal for such a project.

Give it some thought.
Bonnie

Will do. I have the information sheet they gave me at the workshop with all the instructions. I can reproduce it if this comes to pass!
This is one of Warren Leach's hypertufa bonsai pots. He has larger ones at his nursery in MA. This one was on display at the Newport Flower Show in 2014. Can you see he made a steel stand or legs for it to rest on?
Martha

I would think for me, at least, the deeper the pot the better. Width wouldn't matter as much. The ones that I currently have from the previous owner are all shallow. I can see them working for succulents but not much else. I have been using them to start seeds... i do believe now they are all empty as I've put everything in it's "forever" place.

Martha, sure looks like a sturdy pot.

I like pots that are wide on top cause it makes taking them out easier when they outgrow pot.

I sure could use some big ones for some things I've got growing.

Hopefully, someday I'll learn how to make my own.

Bonnie D.

I do like those pots. I think it is a great idea for a round up.

Terese, enjoy that cooler weather, it is just plain hot here, not getting our usual everyday afternoon showers to cool us down either.

A round up, or just a ladies day! I'd also love to try my hand at it! I also saw a cemented fabric pot I'd love to try. :)

A nursery in Lutz did a hypertufa workshop, that hubby and I attended. It was very informative, messy and much easier than I expected! We came home with 2 different sized pots that we made.

It would be cool to do that at a RU.

I finally took mine out of the plastic and am going to plant it up this week. I will take pictures of the whole process and post them.
Martha

Can't wait to see the pictures. Bonnie and I were talking about having the spring RU at my house next year. I think making the pots would be a great idea. We have to do it when you're here in FL, Martha.

Sherri, I think we should have a fall RU like we did here one year. The weather was really beautiful. It was in Oct. Think about it.

I'm really anxious to try making those large planters. Charlie has a lot of steel pipes out in the barn that aren't doing anything. Surely he would give me enough for a planter. LOL

Skies are dark so rain is on its way. Hope you get some. We have some nearly every day.

Just checked with Charlie, he said his supply is down to nothing but I'm sure I can find something around here to put a large pot up on and if not I'll make smaller ones.

Can the large nursery pots be used for molds? Those I've got plus many sizes in between.

Martha

I'm going through the Master Gardener class in Hernando co. so if you can get in for yours, which we here in our country droll over. I'm going for one and half days of the FL Master gardener conference held in Kiss. this coming Oct and I'm taking the demonstration garden tour of theirs so looking forward to it.

So since you are in a rich country by all means take the course. There is so many wonderful things to learn.

I wish our county could have that extension office here....lol

Click here: Garden Art: I can hardly wait to try this out

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1363360/

I'm not sure if either of those links will work, but that's what I saw concerning the cement fabric pots.

I am hoping to be back early to mid-Oct if not sooner. It all depends on the weather here in WI in September.

DH and I have appointments on 9/21 in IL, so if the weather is crappy, we will head back shortly after... if it is still nice, we may stay. We really have not talked about it much, but so far, our summer has been wonderful. Hot and humid expected for this weekend.. the low was 72f and high humidity this morning.... We had a lot of rain.

Once I have more time, I plan to look into the Master Gardner program in Lake County... the extension is not far from my home.

Here's my total output of hypertufa pots. The one with plants is one that I made with my garden club friend back in MA. We made it last summer. We made a wheelbarrow load of mix and this is just one piece of mine that turned out well. I used a basket for a mold. I made two other pieces but I couldn't bring them down here due to the snow. I gave them to my friend and she collected them up once the snow melted. The one on the blue is the one I made at OC extension class. It is somewhat lighter because the mix they made had more perlite in it and a bit more peat moss. I planted it up yesterday afternoon, but will have to wait for the rain to stop here in Oviedo before I can get a picture with the plantings.
Martha

Those are great, perfect for succulent display. Some interesting post above and making pots, I used to get into crafty stuff but not so much anymore. I would love to make some pots though.

We have a trip planned first and second week of October, but I should be fine the last two weeks of the month, cooler then anyway.

Terese, stay up there, way too hot down here, I forgot what 72 feels like, but I'd probably get chilled ☺.

Love the idea of making pots. I'm sure we could do it.

Terrese, my DH thinks anything below 70 is freezing. Not me I like it. Gives me lots more energy. Enjoy it while you can.

Sherri, think your right about time for RU. I like them when it's cooler too.