Sinks are often used as a container for plants, especially for alpines or rock plants.
Sinks are mostly used at patios and give them attractive features.
If you want to create a miniature rock garden sink container is best choice.
Sink containers are mostly formed from the old shallow stone sinks.
These containers are not common today, so finding one can be a hectic job.
Also they are expensive being scarce item.
The best alternative to these shallow stone sinks is to convert the white glazed sink to give it a stone form.
It is not hard to find white glazed sinks.
You can have them from any scrape yard or local builders.
The advantage of these white glazed sinks are is that they are shallower than the old shallow stone sinks and therefore compost will not dry quickly during warm weather conditions.
Hypertufa, a mixture of sand, cement and peat, is usually used to cover the surface of the glazed sink.
After becoming hard and well weathered, it resembles a natural tufa rock.
Hypertufa mix is made from 1 part of cement, 2 parts of sphagnum peat and 1 part of sand.
A PVA adhesive is used on the surface before applying hypertufa.
This PVA ensures that the hypertufa adhere to the glaze properly.
PVA is available in all DIY or hardware stores.
Apply it on the sink thoroughly and when it becomes tacky or sticky, apply hypertufa mix on to it.
Add water to the mixture, slowly add water until the mixture become thick and yet pliable.
Spread the mixture of about 12mm thick evenly over the glazed sink surface.
You can use your finger to set it firmly on its place on the sink.
Two weeks are required to this mixture to harden up properly.
After two weeks, put the solution of potash permanganate into the sink.
Leave it for 24 hours.
This solution helps to remove the harmful chemicals from the cement on the inner surface of the sink.
Wash the sink properly after 24 hours.
You are ready with your rough natural stone texture of sink container.
Now you are ready to place the container on its required place.
Always choose the spot with enough amount of sunlight as sunlight is important for the growth of the plants.
Arrange two rows of brick on the floor and set the container on these rows.
You can secure the brick with mortar.
Fill the first bottom layer of the sink with 2.
5cm of crocks.
Use a large piece of crock to cove the drainage hole.
Now put a thin 2nd layer of leaf mold or coarse peat.
Now take 2.
5cm of potting compost (soil based type is best for alpines) and put it in the sink.
Now you need to fill it with a one third of coarse horticulture sand.
You can use grit for good drainage properties.
But sand and grit must be lime free.
Selecting the Right Plants To start with, first plant Noah's ark juniper, Junipems communis 'Compressa', with greyish-green prickly foliage.
These are usually dwarf conifers and give height and contrast both at the same time.
Trailing alpines are best to use at the edges of the sink.
In spring you can use Phlox douglasii (a mass of lilac flowers) and Aethionema armenum as a pink early summer flowering.
Silvery-leaved Raoulia hookeri (also known as R.
australis) is a kind of plant that spread evenly and once it establishes, it will keep the edges soft.
There are many other options available to plant the alpines.
The best idea is to select alpines with restrained nature.
The selection of such alpines ensures you that they will not spread over the entire sink.
Some useful kinds are: and the cobweb houseleek, Sempervivum arachnoideum, whose rosettes of succulent leaves are covered with white webbing, like spiders' webs; the thrift, Armeria caespitosa, a mound-forming plant studded with pink flowers in the spring; Gypsophila caucasica, white flowers in early summer; the rose-pink, early summer flowering rock pink, Dianthus neglectus; saxifrages like the white, spring flowering S.
X burseriana; and Geranium cinereum, spring flowering, pink blooms.
Once the planting is done, it is a good idea to cover the surface of the compost with a thin layer of pea shingle or stone chippings.
They will not only look attractive, but also helpful in good drainage.
Sinks are mostly used at patios and give them attractive features.
If you want to create a miniature rock garden sink container is best choice.
Sink containers are mostly formed from the old shallow stone sinks.
These containers are not common today, so finding one can be a hectic job.
Also they are expensive being scarce item.
The best alternative to these shallow stone sinks is to convert the white glazed sink to give it a stone form.
It is not hard to find white glazed sinks.
You can have them from any scrape yard or local builders.
The advantage of these white glazed sinks are is that they are shallower than the old shallow stone sinks and therefore compost will not dry quickly during warm weather conditions.
Hypertufa, a mixture of sand, cement and peat, is usually used to cover the surface of the glazed sink.
After becoming hard and well weathered, it resembles a natural tufa rock.
Hypertufa mix is made from 1 part of cement, 2 parts of sphagnum peat and 1 part of sand.
A PVA adhesive is used on the surface before applying hypertufa.
This PVA ensures that the hypertufa adhere to the glaze properly.
PVA is available in all DIY or hardware stores.
Apply it on the sink thoroughly and when it becomes tacky or sticky, apply hypertufa mix on to it.
Add water to the mixture, slowly add water until the mixture become thick and yet pliable.
Spread the mixture of about 12mm thick evenly over the glazed sink surface.
You can use your finger to set it firmly on its place on the sink.
Two weeks are required to this mixture to harden up properly.
After two weeks, put the solution of potash permanganate into the sink.
Leave it for 24 hours.
This solution helps to remove the harmful chemicals from the cement on the inner surface of the sink.
Wash the sink properly after 24 hours.
You are ready with your rough natural stone texture of sink container.
Now you are ready to place the container on its required place.
Always choose the spot with enough amount of sunlight as sunlight is important for the growth of the plants.
Arrange two rows of brick on the floor and set the container on these rows.
You can secure the brick with mortar.
Fill the first bottom layer of the sink with 2.
5cm of crocks.
Use a large piece of crock to cove the drainage hole.
Now put a thin 2nd layer of leaf mold or coarse peat.
Now take 2.
5cm of potting compost (soil based type is best for alpines) and put it in the sink.
Now you need to fill it with a one third of coarse horticulture sand.
You can use grit for good drainage properties.
But sand and grit must be lime free.
Selecting the Right Plants To start with, first plant Noah's ark juniper, Junipems communis 'Compressa', with greyish-green prickly foliage.
These are usually dwarf conifers and give height and contrast both at the same time.
Trailing alpines are best to use at the edges of the sink.
In spring you can use Phlox douglasii (a mass of lilac flowers) and Aethionema armenum as a pink early summer flowering.
Silvery-leaved Raoulia hookeri (also known as R.
australis) is a kind of plant that spread evenly and once it establishes, it will keep the edges soft.
There are many other options available to plant the alpines.
The best idea is to select alpines with restrained nature.
The selection of such alpines ensures you that they will not spread over the entire sink.
Some useful kinds are: and the cobweb houseleek, Sempervivum arachnoideum, whose rosettes of succulent leaves are covered with white webbing, like spiders' webs; the thrift, Armeria caespitosa, a mound-forming plant studded with pink flowers in the spring; Gypsophila caucasica, white flowers in early summer; the rose-pink, early summer flowering rock pink, Dianthus neglectus; saxifrages like the white, spring flowering S.
X burseriana; and Geranium cinereum, spring flowering, pink blooms.
Once the planting is done, it is a good idea to cover the surface of the compost with a thin layer of pea shingle or stone chippings.
They will not only look attractive, but also helpful in good drainage.
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