a friend just gave me the free hand to spruce up an ultra-empty desert yard(las vegas). Kind of late in the year to start anything that would fill up the yard quickly, and budget is mid-level, so decided to ‘set things in stone’ first, which i find very effective in creating an instant vista which also imparts a sense of permanence.
of course, i have earmarked long-lasting and desert-hardy jujubes, mulberries, and mexican green onions to fill the wide-gaping spaces between the stonework. Annuals and short-lived trees to follow(as “disposable” prospects).
here are the before-and-after sequence which will continuously update :
Hi Tony, it is a ~ 1 acre property of a friend who gave me the liberty to design and populate with trees and greens. And some stonework, contingent to friend’s budget
Great video. A couple of questions… Do you spray cooking oil or any other releasing agent into the molds before filling them? How many times can you use the molds before they break?
have never sprayed oil but that seems to be a good idea. Only issue could think of is if the cement alkali might saponify the oil. So far the only releasing agent i use would be heat from the sun. The solidified cement does not expand much, if at all, but the plastic mold expands with warmth and usually pops itself out from the hardened concrete.
none of our molds have failed after 100+ casts. The details will diminish btw as the mold gets thick with concrete film/crusts, but can be softened and cleared out with just a couple days’ soaking with vinegar.
