Going to put a fig tree in that hypertufa ball.  Not sure which one yet.  Set them out on the front porch for some morning sun and let them decide which one wants to volunteer. :)

 

Bet it does great....figs like cement almost as much as NY mobsters do.  

Good answer Wills

Might as well make some pots.  Needed some perlite. 

 

The lady at the counter told me they were out of coarse grade but the guy brought this.  Didn't complain.  Last bag had quite a lot of fines in.  When life gives you fine perlite make hypertufa pots lol.   

@ Charles :

If you plant a fig tree in your Hypertufa ball.....how will you get it out for root pruning? Is the ball made with two parts?  I see a circumferential seam.  Does the ball have upper and lower sections?  Just asking.



Frank

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@ WillsC :

A few years back there was some "street" talk, here in Da-Bronx.  I heard that some brand new, two-family homes - near the Throggs Neck Bridge -  were built on top of some two-bit "wiseguy"....you know...he was used to hold up part of the basement floor....  Word on the street was that the poor guy suddenly "choked" while eating a slice of brick-oven pizza, and then just fell into a hole. Oh well.... may he Rest in Pieces.

Hadn't thought of that Frank so thanks.  It's two hypertufa baskets joined together while they were wet.  I have a different idea though and working on it now.  

Chas....just checking.


Frank

Here's a hypertufa ball air pruning pot lol.  The mix ratio is 2 parts perlite, 2 parts potting mix with peat, 1-1/2 parts portland cement, water to consistency which is like thick cottage cheese.  

Using a tapered quart tub for a form, over it is a bread bag.  Make balls of the mix and just go around, stacking as shown, making sure the balls touch so it will all stick together.

 

 



Getting the balls all exactly the same size is tricky by hand.  Getting the moisture just right is even more tricky.  Didn't press the balls into the side of the form, just laid them in next to each other.  Wanted the same surface on the inside as you see on the outside.  Think that will direct some roots out those little holes between every three balls?  

When ready to up-pot, I plan to just set this pot inside a bigger one.  This is a pretty weak design for a hypertufa pot and it will be very fragile compared to others but I believe it will hold together well enough to get to the next pot size.  

They like cement eh I will give em some cement :)

P.S. Wife said it looks like dog poop haha  
 

Charles-

Try using an ice-cream scoop for consistent ball size.  Making these balls for us Italians would be no problem...they look to be about the size of good, meatball.  : ) 

Good luck with the air-pot.


Frank