Hypertufa Trough Recipe

The recipe to create a hypertufa trough is basically one to one to one of all ingredients.

• One part stucco base coat (cement and reinforcing fibers, no sand)
• One part perlite
• One part sphagnum peat (dampened and screened or sifted)
• One part water (approximately)

Wear a dust mask and gloves. Cement and perlite are nuisance dusts that you don’t want to breathe. Cement can also cause skin irritation, so rinse it off if you get any on your uncovered skin. Long sleeves work well. Begin by using a hoe to mix dry ingredients in a wheelbarrow or large container. Mix thoroughly. Add enough water to make mix workable. Less water means more strength. You want it to be wet enough to stick together, but not so wet that it is runny. After it is mixed you want to work quickly to pat it onto the mold. Try to make it about 1 1⁄2 ” thick all around the bottom and sides. Add a couple of drainage holes in the bottom by using your finger or a stick. The holes should be about 3/4″ in diameter.

Let cure 24-48 hours before removing from mold. After removing from mold, rough up exterior with fork, wire brush, whatever, to make the exterior look as irregular and rough as you like. The idea is to make it look like stone; originally horse troughs were carved from stone. Continue to cure for up to a month. Wrap trough in plastic or mist with water to keep up humidity—spray two to three times a day, if possible. Keep out of direct sun while curing. Wash off trough thoroughly with water before planting to remove lime.