How to Substitute Hypertufa for Fiber Mesh

Wear a dust mask to prevent inhaling the cement dust. Put on gloves to protect your hands and lay out a dust cloth to keep your surface clean. It's a good idea to do this project outdoors if you can.

Use a 2-cup measuring container to measure three parts cement, four parts peat moss and five parts perlite. Mix the dry ingredients.

Add water slowly as you mix until it starts to bind together. It should be fairly stiff and just clump together when you squeeze some in your fist.

Line a paint tray with a plastic bag. Pour 2 inches of the hypertufa mix into the paint tray. Put the bucket or mold inside the tray.

Use your hands and a trowel to smear a layer at least an inch thick along the exterior of the container or mold. Smooth it lightly with the trowel. Even off the top of the mixture when you get to the rim of the mold.

Let the container cure for 48 hours. Remove the center mold and invert the container. Use as wire brush and the trowel to remove errant bits of mixture and smooth out the container. Dry the pot for a week.

Mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar in a gallon of water. Pour into the pot interior and swish it around. This will remove the lime residue from the cement. Lime can make soils too alkaline and harm plant health.