Hello dear readers!
A beautiful garden is probably the dream of every housewife. And I wanted to embellish the garden plot with decorative elements. Nature itself prompted to make a flowerpot in the shape of a burdock leaf. The idea seemed interesting, and we got to work.
To make a flowerpot you will need:
2-3 buckets of sand;
· Cement;
· Water;
· Large leaf of burdock;
· Capacity for mixing cement and sand;
· Polyethylene;
· Rubber gloves;
· Metal brush, knife;
· Green spray paint in a can.
Now let's get down to making.
First of all, pour 2 buckets of sand on the ground and form an even pile with our hands.
From above, on a pile of sand, lay a leaf of burdock face down and slap it with your hand.
It's time to prepare a sand-cement mortar, at the rate of 2 parts of sand to 1 part of cement.
We knead the dry mixture in the container first, and then, adding a little water, knead the solution. The thickness of the solution should be like soft plasticine. Don't forget to wear gloves.
The solution is ready, let it brew for 10-15 minutes.
We spread the solution on a sheet, leveling it with our hands. The layer should be 1.5-2 cm. When the entire sheet is covered, smooth it out with our hands, slightly moistening it with water.
Cover the sheet with polyethylene and leave to dry for 2-3 days, depending on the temperature.
You need to cover so that the solution does not dry too quickly, otherwise the sheet will simply crack.
In a couple of days we take out our sheet. It needs to be put in order and the burdock leaf removed.
Pour a little water into the pot and moisten it all.
Using a wire brush, brush off the sheet from the cement base. Do not press too hard, otherwise you will erase the texture.
The remaining veins of the leaf must be removed with the edge of a knife.
After all the procedures, the sheet became clean and almost ready for painting. Let it sit in the air for a few more hours and dry after washing.
For the painting, we used the cheapest spray car paint in a spray can. We paint well the entire surface of the sheet, all the veins and the back side.
If you do not have the opportunity to purchase paint in a spray can, then you can use any enamel paint and apply with a brush.
So the flowerpot in the shape of a burdock leaf is ready and you can plant small flowers in it.
I will give you some tips so that the flowerpot will serve you for more than 1 year.
Paint the flowerpot thoroughly, preferably 2-3 times. The paint will protect against rain and sun. In early spring, sand a little with # 1 sandpaper and apply 1 coat of paint. This small restoration once a year will extend the life of the flowerpot.
No need to overload the pot with a lot of weight. Without reinforcement, it can withstand up to 5 kg freely.
Dry the leaf as much as necessary. If it is cool outside, then the cement will not set in 2-3 days, you need a little more time. Do not make our mistakes, take your time, otherwise you will break the sheet.
Use cement not lower than 400 grade, so the product will be quite durable.
It is advisable to use sand without admixture of clay, otherwise, when drying, the flowerpot will crack.
In use, the flowerpot proved to be excellent. Not afraid of any weather conditions, be it rain or scorching sun. And it winters right under the snow.
Over the summer, the paint fades a little and changes color.
The disadvantage of such a flowerpot is fragility. If you drop it from at least half a meter, then it will break or at least crack. But it can always be patched up with fresh solution.
That's all, enjoy your needlework!