Tom I think they answered this on the Discussion side - I agree with them - from my expeience the one time I did a winter project the hypertufa craked. Somehwere there is a more scientific answer - but 50o F is a good temp . I have done some projects in my basement - but the dust from the portland in too much - and I am sure not healthy for your lungs!

Hey guys, I'm liking that Elmers glue, and latex paint suggestion, cheap, and possibly just sitting in a can downstairs, IF, it's not a solid mass of dried up crap by now, paint, that is. I have had some projects that haven't cracked, BUT, some that have. I'd always heard that HYDRATION was key in having a finished project NOT crack, you know, to hydrate it long enough before taking it off and using it. I'm hoping that IF I can't use my old latex paint that is downstairs, IF it's all hard and non usable, AND, I hit up the local WM paint section, and buy some god ugly color that is REDUCED majorly, I'm HOPING that my Hypertufa project WON'T be showing streaks of the god ugly color through it. I want to make a hypertufa planter for succulents. I'm guessing the liming effect of the cement may make the paint color less likely to be bright or showy? I remember buying a small amount of "silica fume" years ago, and never using it, I wonder IF I can use that on this project OR would it be big waste of it, that I should use on a much more delicate project? Really, anyone who knows just what one would use "silica Fume" for, please tell me, I forget what I bought it for, and, if it goes bad quickly, I am sure it has been way too long to use it now. BTW, I have an OPENED BAG OF PORTLAND Cement, it's been open for a few years at least, can I still use it? I've seen cement sitting outside in a heap outside of a place that makes and sells concrete statues, surely sitting in my basement in a bag it's fine, right?

Hi ruegge. Here is my opinion and cosequently here is where I evoke the wrath of the tufa gods and blaspheme against the holy peat. My thoughts on hypertufa are well known and documented on this garden web forum. Dare I suggest you try (try, says I) to construct your project without peat moss of course I do. If your projects negative space can be filled with more than one gallon of water try something else. For weed pots, herb planter or sedum pots hypertufa seems to work really well, beyond that I have my doubts and suspicions. I believe people who post about having cracked pots are truthful; I mean who would post a message admitting to a failing if there was none. On the other hand people who say, "IÂve never had a hypertufa pot crack" well whatever. For those that do they blame everything under the sun  except the holy peat. I have been in some heated exchanges about tufa and the holy peat. My conclusion is: a bunch of folk who make hypertufa continue to promote their mantra; if it doesnÂt have peat moss, well, then, it just ainÂt hypertufa. (See Wikipedia definition at the end of this harangue.) Accordingly it is a sacred ternate that, no matter what the ingredient list at the very least the mix must contain peat moss to be hypertufa. Naturally I disagree but rather than continue a close-minded discussion I simply DONÂT make "hypertufa" I make concrete (look that up for laughs). My pieces are made using just about everything; vermiculite, perlite, sand (both fine and course), latex paint instead of water, metal filings, polystyrene beads (bean-bag beads), anything, BUT I DON"T USE PEAT MOSS! I still have failures but not near as many as I did with the holy peat. Mostly I just get too impatient and move ahead before I should. Oh, keep in mind if you want to "work" or "tool" the finish, sand will wear away files and metal tools. IMO use whatever you want to make your project a success and then call it hypertufa, hyperthreefer, or stretch it to be rueggetufa. Most importantly have fun and experiment. Hypertufa From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia HYPERTUFA IS AN ANTHROPIC ROCK MADE FROM VARIOUS AGGREGATES BONDED TOGETHER USING PORTLAND CEMENT. Hypertufa is intended as a manufactured substitute for natural tufa, which is a slowly precipitated limestone rock; being very porous, it is favorable for plant growth. Hypertufa is popular for making garden ornaments, pots and land forms. Hypertufa is relatively light compared with terra cotta or concrete and can withstand harsh winters, at least down to -30 °C (-20 °F). Basic recipe Using the classic proportions for mortar (1 part cement: 3 parts aggregate) hypertufa is composed of 3 parts Portland cement - Type I 4 parts peat 5 parts perlite (3 parts cement: 9 parts aggregate)  1:3 ratio Other recipes may call for sand or gravel as aggregates, but they add unwanted weight without necessarily adding strength. To increase structural strength and longevity, synthetic reinforcing fibers (plastics, not fiberglass) and liquid acrylic may be incorporated into the mixture. Powdered mineral colors (in small amounts) tint the hypertufa to resemble natural rock. Speaking of rocks - this rock (52"l X 32"w X 20"h and hollow) has been through two seasons without a crack. Ducking sniper fire and running for cover! Robert p.s. I'm really a nice guy.

I am a conifer nut too, and that is definitely Blue Star juniper. Yes, it is rather common now, but rightly so! It's a great plant jspece, thanks for the ID of that most interesting plant. Sagebrushred, your experience with the rising temperatures is typical. Even with established plants in pots (or in the ground), it's amazing what shade can do in the trying time of the season. I had a few trays of assorted alpines in mostly sun, and they were doing fine . . . or so I thought. Company came over, and I moved them to a very shady spot. They remained there for a week, and when I went to put them back, it was like they had been rejuvinated! I have small alpine willows that are very particular about the heat, but even my potted Pulsatilla turczaninovii benefitted from the shade. Grandmasgarden and all, maybe we should make better use of our exchange page. Wouldn't want those excess seeds to go to waste. I have a few kinds of alpine seed, and I just put them on the page. How 'bout it, any takers? Sagebrushred, in fact I have made troughs with powdered terra cotta coloring, sort of. I taught and supervised some GW friends on their first ventures. Julie had the coloring. I wasn't too excited about it, but they were their troughs, so I wasn't about to discourage them. And actually the results are quite pleasing. Incidently, I guess at one point I was remiss in my supervision, as both of their troughs have a layer tufa that is not packed as well as the rest. Both at the same level. I worried the troughs might separate at that weak point, but everything seems to be fine so far. In reality, that layer adds to the beauty of the containers, giving them a natural strata quality. I just might be experimenting a bit in the future, and an incorporating a facsimile thereof. Rick