Build
it Yourself: A Concrete Planter -
Make
your own planter out of cement, perlite, and peat moss
Here is a fun
little project for a rainy day. If you like to play in the dirt,
you will love playing in the mud, the mason's term for concrete.
But you don't have to be a brick layer to build this planter, all
you need is an imagination and a few supplies.
Basic Mixture
3 parts horticultural perlite
3 parts peat moss
2 parts Portland cement
Other Materials
Needed
Two cardboard boxes, one smaller than the other
Chicken wire
Dowel rods
Mix the dry
ingredients together with enough water to form a cement the consistency
of cottage cheese.
Place a cardboard
box on your work surface with the opening facing up. Any tape, gouges
or flaws in the box will show up on your finished project so be
sure the inside of the box is to your liking. A plastic bag liner
can add some nice wrinkles to the finished project or try adding
a layer of wet leaves in your mold before adding the concrete mix.
To make the
bottom of the planter, pour in a 1 inch layer of cement. Cut chicken
wire to fit into the box, but 1 inch smaller on all sides. Place
it on top of the first layer of cement for reinforcement. Top this
with another layer of wet cement. Lightly smooth the surface to
make it even.
To create drainage
holes, push several wooden dowels about 1/4 inch in diameter into
the middle of the cement with spacing of 3 or 4 inches apart. They
will be removed later.
Place a smaller
box inside the first box upside down on top of the cement. Center
a layer of chicken wire between the inside and outside edges of
the two boxes. The wire should be one inch shorter than the mold
so that it will not poke through the top of the finished trough.
Use a flat stick (or a mason's trowel) to fill the mold with cement.
Try to keep the wire centered in the cement. Push the stick periodically
into the wet cement to tamp it down and to remove air pockets.
Smooth the top
edges of the cement or round it over. Cover the mold with a plastic
sheet so that it remains moist while the cement sets. Let the mold
cure for up to 5 days, but no less than 24 hours. Once the cement
is set, rip out the inner box, remove the dowel rods, and tear away
the outer cardboard box. Your masterpiece can now be painted or
left as is to fill with your favorite plants.
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