To get an excellent book on this go here - http://www.rlstore.com/ I will give a short lesson here but recommend you get the book. It is money well spent.

Lets get going!

You will need a couple of heavy-duty cardboard boxes. One should fit inside the other with at least 3" between them.

Line the big box with plastic. Don't worry if it is not smooth, just do the best you can.

Mix up your 'Tufa and fill the bottom of the box to about 3" deep. Now wrap your other box in plastic and set it inside the first box. Fill the space around it with more Tufa. If the little box wants to collapse as you press the Tufa into the gaps you should fill it with sand or cut pieces of Styrofoam to fit into it. If you have enough Tufa left over you could fill 4 foam cups to use for legs.

Cover and let it sit a couple of days.

If you see the outer box getting wet, don't worry about it! After a couple of days take the inner box out. Let it sit another day and take off the outer box. If it is wet just tear it off. If it is dry, carefully cut it off. Now you can smooth all the corners and edges. Use a piece of steel or a wire brush. If you do not like the pattern the plastic left on the outside, wire brush there to.

You may want to put drain holes in. do it while it is still "green", just use an electric drill and a 1/2" drill bit. I don't bother, the Tufa soaks up water and even if filled to the top it seems to disappear in a 1/2 day or so. If you live where it is really rainy I guess you should put them in. It is nice not having them. I fill the planter to the top with water and do not have to water again for 2 or 3 days.

Another thing you should do before you put in your plants is plug the drain holes if you decide to make them and fill with water. Do this daily for a week. You want to leach out some of the acidity from the cement. Once this is done it is ready for use.

Copyright 2005 Delmar Germyn All Rights Reserved.