Old stone sinks make perfect containers for alpines, but they’re hard to come by. You can easily make your own concrete lookalike; all you need are two strong cardboard boxes. One should fit inside the other, leaving a gap of around 5cm. Simply make a mould from the cardboard boxes and fill it with a concrete mix. Adding coir to the concrete mix will give your container a rougher texture, and the trough can be easily distressed with a trowel to give it a more aged appearance.
You Will Need
- Bricks
- Coir fibre
- Cement
- Plastic sheeting
- Sand
- Trowel
- Card boxes (two)
- Wire mesh
- Wooden dowel
Total time:
Step 1
Mix together two parts sieved coir fibre, one part cement and one part sharp sand. Pour water into a well in the centre and mix it together to form a stiff paste.
Step 2
Using a trowel, place a 2.5cm layer of concrete into the bottom of the larger cardboard box. Ensure the concrete is spread into the corners.
Step 3
Cut a piece of small-gauge wire mesh to fit the bottom of the box. Place it on top of the mixture to reinforce the trough, and add a further 2.5cm layer of cement over the top of the mesh.
Step 4
Push 5cm-long pieces of wooden dowel into the base of the trough for drainage. Then, place the smaller box inside the larger one, leaving a gap of around 5cm. Add bricks to weigh it down.
Step 5
Insert sections of mesh along each side, cutting them shorter than the depth of the box so they’ll be hidden.
Step 6
Add cement to the sides of the mould to make a wall. Use a stick to push it into the corners. This will prevent air pockets from weakening the walls.
Step 7
When all the concrete mixture is in place, support the outer sides of the box with more bricks. Then cover the entire thing with a plastic sheet.
Step 8
After two days, when the concrete is set, remove the sheet of plastic and supporting bricks and peel the cardboard away from the sides.
Step 9
The sides of the trough can be aged by roughly scraping them with a trowel. After a week, use a hammer and large nail to push the wooden dowels out of the trough, leaving holes for drainage.
