pj,
do a search for hypertufa. The containers made in this fashion are sturdy. I have two a friend made for me that are about 10yrs old that look great still. You can also make concrete bonsai pots, just need to make a mold out of wood or something similar. I've read about self hardening and oven baked clay to make pots but have never tried it.

Another alternative is wood planters, my dad makes these of various shapes and sizes. Just need to seal them so they don't rot out.

Check out these pots

Here is a link that might be useful: paper concrete

The hyperturfa pots I've made were almost indestructible! Dropped them more than a few times with no major damage, just a little bit of chipping/crumbling.

With any of these concrete pots, be sure to let them soak in a bucket of water for a week or two once cured to leach out any uncured cement. Otherwise the pot will turn the soil pretty strongly basic after a while...

Thank you guys! I read about hypertufra pots. I think this is what I want to start with. Would throwing fiberglass fibers in the mix make it stronger?

Caudex1: I liked thelink you added. I think making molds could pose a problem and create a mess :) Also, would I use an oil based paint, maybe watered down to get a weathered effect?

Joscience: Thank you for the soaking pointer. That is going to be crucial for my plants to thrive.

Did you guys use a mold to make your pots or is the mixture firm enough to build with like clay? I imagine it would be a little watery to get the firmness needed. What if I allowed it to dry a little before shaping?

I was thinking that for molds I would just find interesting bowls or can etc. I was thinking about maybe one of those fancy punch bowls with the cool designs on it. Any ideas would be awesome. Thank you.
steve

Fiberglass would certainly make it stronger, but unless you really plan to abuse the devil out of them, peat should be adequate, and then you won't get itchy. You could use coir instead of peat moss, which in addition to being ecoloigacly superior, would make for a more durable pot since it is more fibrous than peat.

You'll need to use a mold or form of some sort. It doesn't quite have the consistency to be workable on its own. Personally, I made a simple box using some foam-core paperboard. I glued some decorative pebbles to the inside of the paperboard mold, which resulted in having them embedded on the outside of finished pot. I then filled the box with the hyperturfa mixture, and forced a plastic pot into the mixture to create the inside diameter of the pot. After a couple weeks, I tore off all the paper, and removed the plastic pot. It will fill pretty small spaces, so using something like a fancy bunch bowl with a lot of detail really could produce some excellent results. Just be sure to tamp and tap the mixture to get it to fill every last nook and cranny.

The hyperturfa made a surprisingly strong bond with both the paper and the plastic. You may need to experiment with something to help release the hyperturfa from the mold if you don't want to damage the mold/form. You could use plastic wrap or even petroleum jelly.

Finally, don't worry about a drainage hole until after the pot has cured. Then just use a 1/2" masonry bit to punch a quick hole or two in the bottom.

Steve I have a friend who did this, and sold them like hot cakes at the National convention. He is extremly artistic, and they were made in interesting shapes and sizes. Sounds like a winner to me. Norma

Thank you guys! I will consider using coir in the mixture. he only problem is is getting it. i havent found a GC that sells it and probably wont. I have found some places online that sell it at a descent price. That will have to be the route I will have to go.

So I let it cure for a few weeks in the mold and tap it out. I like the idea with the pebbles and beads. I bet that looked awesome.

As for painting it, anyone have ideas? I am more than willing to experiment but would like a good place to start. Thank you
steve

There is actually a hypertufa forum here at Garden Web. Perhaps you can find some good ideas there.

Here is a link that might be useful: GW Hypertufa forum

Steve: I've never found coir for sale at a GC either. However, it is pretty easy to find at pet stores, particularly those that sell reptiles and amphibians.

Also hydroponic suppliers have coir in large bails, a 10lb block was $25 and made a heaping wheel borrow full.

Concrete stain would be better for antiquing or weathered look. Brush it on, let it dry then sponge off the high spots.

A friend that makes hypertufa troughs uses styrofoam wall insulation as molds, concrete doesn't stick it it.

Joscience: It had never dawned on me to look for it at a pet store. I should have put two and two together. A friend of mine has three large chameleons and they required a coconut coir bedding, especially for breeding. Even tarantulas use a coir based bedding. Thank you for sharing that tid bit with me.

Karen715: I had no idea there was a forum for this. This is getting exciting. I will check it out. Thank you for sharing that with me.

Caudex1: I figured concrete stain might an approach seeing as portland cement is the sticky stuff in cement. This is a great start. Thank you for informing me.

Thank you everyone for making this process known to me! I will post pics when I have my first creation!!
Steve

a short video on papercrete pots

Here is a link that might be useful: papercrete

I went to the hypertufa forum and the posts there were really old. Not sure if a whole lot of people go there often But I will post some questions and hope for the best. I did find some cool stuff on there, just cruising around. Thank you.
The Video was quite informative as well. Gotta love youtube. I think I have enough information to feel comfortable moving on to the next step. Thank you everyone!
Steve