Re: Hypertufa troughs

In a message dated 6/26/02 4:58:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
gentian21@insightBB.com writes:


> The porosity is more from perlite than the peat.  You must also do heavy
> wire brushing on the inside and the outside in order to remove the thin
> layer of cement on the surface that tends to seal it.  Brushing and
> chiseling also improves the appearance.  I have seen hypertufa troughs sold
> commercially and they usually are not brushed because it is a lot of work.
> If a trough wasn't porous it would hold water if you didn't have drainage
> holes.
> 
> Well Frank, I'll pass this all along to the trough maker.  Perlite is not 
> usually part of the recipe and unfortunately I believe it is going to be 
> illegal to sell in NYS along with vermiculite.  One or both of these would 
> lighten up the trough.  I did inquire from the trough maker if perlite was 
> used and he said no but brushing and "carving" is done.  I like the 
> brushing idea, a lot of people use sphagnum and pebbles on the exterior 
> walls to give the trough it's natural look.  It is, I suppose, the natural 
> look that is wanted as porosity is present in a clay pot. Also dowels are 
> put in the bottom and in some shapes on the sides for drainage holes.
> 
> We have around a dozen and that it is for troughs.  Frank do you do them 
> yourself? Do you plant them permanently or change the contents yearly.  
> Just today I found something growing in one I would have given up for dead 
> months ago.  I don't know what it but I must have put it there.  In recent 
> years, containers have sprouted all over the gardens here.  You can grow 
> many plants not suitable for borders.  Now if we could just have a bit 
> longer growing season!
> 
> Good luck to all trough making, it is a full day's job and can be fun.
> 
> ClairePeplowski
> NYS z4

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