How to make papercrete containers.

Tomtom, I don't know if you are still watching this thread, but have a question. Hope it hasn't already been asked.

In the original photo that pot has sharper edges sticking out, the later photos I see are smoother. I love the edges on the original photo. Is that done by leaving small spaces between the twisted paper, or do you have any control over the outcome?

Thank you

Thank y'll all for your comments.

Carrie, yes of course, I do remember it. Your Alonsoa is stunning! Welcome to the sowing lovers.
What is in the pot is Primula malacoides,which doesn't choose soil and the used sol is used.

Suzy, and happgarden, yes for the later pot chichen wires are used .I made the slurry ball as big as ping-pong balls and piled them up along both sides of the wire. This way I was able to build the bigger pot ,though personally I too love the sharper edges of the original better.

Tomtom

Hi Tom-tom,

Thanks for the answers! Normally though, what soil do you use, if it were something that was fussy about soil? I've always just used Miracle-Gro, and sometimes it works better than other times. So I'm experimenting with different additives - perlite, sand, etc., and I wondered what you use (besides a better climate)?

Carrie

OK, not a container, but I used TomTom's recipe to make some molded papercrete spheres. Only a year or so later, this is my completed project:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/971071/

imapigeon,

What a stunning project you've made !!
Best luck !

Tomtom

Thanks, Tomtom---I'll be doing more projects in papercrete! This has worked out really well, and it was easy to work with. I have a really large plastic planter bowl that I plan to use as a mold. In regular concrete it would be too heavy to move, and in hypertufa it would be too porous for what I want to plant in it. But I think the papercrete will be just right, and I may try carving it, too.

imapigeon,

What a marvelous idea! Keep doing it,I do hope.
I made a trough using peat instead of newspaper.
I used a form box as a mold.
It is really light. Alpine plants in particular grow well in it.

Tomtom

What an excellent idea, Tomtom! Those plants look great!

Tomtom, I really like the textures you develop. I'll have to try the peatcrete, too!

I'm going to try peat also.
I see there is no fear about shrinkage around a solid form?
Keep posting as to the carving success Imapigeon!

ge1836,

The way I made it ,it hardly shrinks.
A year has past .

Tomtom


This message was edited Apr 5, 2009 7:57 PM

Definatly the way to go with a moldable material.
Thanks for the feedback.

You KNOW an idea is GREAT when the thread is still going 4.5 years later!

TOMTOM...you should get an award! I LOVE natural looking containers.....and these are just FANTASTIC!!!!!

I just HAVE to try these! They can be tucked anywhere in a garden while maintaining a non-intrusive very natural look! I love growing Lewesia (it's an Alpine plant)...and bet they would do so well in these!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU... and thanks to all who posted and shared! I love the look poking some natural items into the papers. We have a lot of pine boughs here so when I try this I'll slide a few fans of that in.

PROMISE to post photos, but it has to warm up a bit before I launch into any yard projects. We are still freezing at night which is VERY unusual for this area!

I am sooooooo excited!

Warmly,

Felicia

soon as the tile guys show up to finish the kitchen I will scarf some of the colorant they use for coloring grout and I'm on to peatcrete planters.

Here you are again, ge....

Will be up there next week. See ya?


Hap

I hasten to add the folowing for making foam troughs:

1. Sludge material
peatmoss:cement=1:2
plus water , a little reinforced mortar bonding agent(liquid)
and some dye as you like.

2.Mix 1 well and as hard as ear lobe.

3.Give a foam mold a coat of concrete bond with a pallet
and wait for a few minutes till it gets dry .
(Concrete bond is used because foams can't be mortared well.
A pallet is used because the concrete bond is extremely sticky)

4.Give it another coat of reinforced mortar bonding agent .

5.On it attach the prepared sludge(No1)
This should best be done with plastic-gloved hands.

6.Give it the texture of what you'd like it to be before it gets dry.

Best luck!

Tomtom

Tomtom,

Please show us one of your troughs and the size.

Thanks.

Hap

Hap,
It's 35X55X15(cm).

Tomtom

Was this the planter you made from peetcrete?
Yesterdays "how to" series? using a rigid tray of some sort?
I really cant wait for warmer weather to get started on one of these.

Beautiful, Tomtom.

Yes,ge1836,

it's the planter I made from `peatcrete'.
Since lot of you seem so interested in making `peatcrete' trough,I posted several important remarks putting particular emphasis on the difference between `peatcrete ' and 'papercrete'.

Best luck !!

Tomtom

Your the greatest.Thanks Tom Tom

Question about the papercrete planter... instead of "random" styles from the paper, is it possible to achive the same affect by using an existing pot as a MOLD so everything is uniform.

Possibly using plastic over the upturned pot so it doesn't stick?

If anyone has tried this... please tell us.. the price of things lately are rediculous for something so simple, if this can be done, I think it would be fun to do with the kids, something they can take pride in and have their own planter to grow what they want and care for.

If you use concrete mix with kids, make sure they ware gloves, crete will burn tender skin.

... and a mask. Nasty to inhale.

....and eye protection (like inexpensive safety glasses) in case they splash.

*S* all that I have and ready ((we make stepping stones for the garden, and the kids do a hand or foot print each year))

One of the best ways to find out is to 'do it'.

I can see a large pot with a smaller pot inside and the papercrete in-between like a filling. Put a layer in the bottom of the large pot and when you have your bottom set your smalller pot inside and start to fill in the sides. Wrap both pots in plastic and make sure to remove the inside pot as soon as set up occurs.

OR just build up the walls on the inside of a plastic wrapped pot and see what happens.

Llilyfan:
... your OR reference....
That's how I made mine seen at 11/4 7:08pm. I must add that today, both of those up there are overflowing w/ sedum.

Aguane, is this the one you are talking about? It was beautiful then, I'll bet it is stunning now!
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=2896184

Yes, Lillyfan... that one and the one below a few minutes later... its shaped from a shoebox. The one you show in the link is from a straw basket. I find myself saving various sorts of boxes with the intent of making new planters. Hopefully will get started in a month or so! - and Thank You!

is it easier to build up from the inside rather than the outside?? seems if you build from the inside, you are making it smaller.

I guess I'd suggest choosing your box accordingly - small or big or whatever size. When I make my planters I position foliage, and 'stuff' against the inside of my box and build up from the inside.... The plastic (I use old plastic bags from the cleaners) is inserted into the box first, then I make the base/bottom leaving a hole for drainage, then I begin to layer up with the cement and adjusting/adding my plant material as I build up. I go to the top of the box and level off a uniform "capping". Make sure the drainage hole is good, put it in another plastic bag and let is cure.

So, from the outside, you have the box, the plastic, the plant material, the cement. I like this approach because I like the foliage and it presses very nicely against the box leaving a nice "petroglyph" type impression.

thanks for your help. I'm really gonna try this ...hopefully this weekend!!

Will post a pix by Monday if I get it done!

Remember it can take a few days to cure. Set. Don't want to bring it out of the box/plastic before 3 days AT LEAST. Also, you know you can dye the cement, right?

gotcha!

obviously I haven't done the papercrete pot yet.... can QUICK CRETE be used?? or does it have to be reg. concrete?

can quick crete be used?? or just standard slowwwwwww drying concrete??

Portland cement is what you want to use---not premixed concrete. The paper takes the place of the sand or gravel in a concrete mix.

Give a try. I think you can buy pretty small bags of quikcrete at HD or Michael's. I know a friend who uses it for casting masks and stuff. Its A LOT more expensive that sand and Portland. I guess it depends, too, on how many items you want to make from the 'crete. I've made dozens of garden mirrors and containers. Made a little one today lined with lavender flowers on the outside of the mould.