COOL IDEA USING HYPERTUFA!

A Tisket, a Tasket… Make a Hypertufa Basket

I was rummaging around in the attic and found a pile of old baskets, which I decided to pitch to make more room.  Then I remembered a magazine article suggesting the use of a basket as a mold or armature for hypertufa planters.  Bypassing the garbage can, I mixed up a batch of hypertufa and set to work.

First, line the entire inside of the basket with the material, pressing it firmly into the weave of the basket and smoothing the inner surface.  It squishes nicely through the weave on the bottom providing an interesting surface.  (PHOTO: TUFA BASKET 1)

Roll and smooth the edge of the tufa to meet the edge of the basket.  Then cover the handle be sandwiching it between handfuls of tufa. Gently smooth to even it out.

(PHOTO: TUFA BASKET 2)

The basket is strong enough to serve as an armature for a usable planting container, permanently becoming part of it.   If and when the basket rots or falls apart, who cares? The hypertufa container will remain intact.  This is a simple, practical way to re-purpose an old basket.

Want to learn more about making your own hypertufa?  Consider taking one of the Summer Hypertufa Studios at From the Summer’s Garden. 
 CHECK OUT THE INFO TO THE RIGHT.