The cement stepping stone molds can be purchased very inexpensively. Making them is soooooo much fun! I'm going to have to put stepping stones in my current flower beds because they are getting bigger, and BIGGER! Works for me! I have SEVERAL molds from before I moved to this house. I even have molds for garden benches & bird baths. Why I can't have "normal female hobbies" instead of CEMENT, I don't know! (Maybe because cement works better in a garden than ceramic cookie jars etc?) ~ Pat
Err on the side of planting too much this year... this ok?
LOL, Pat. Ain't it the truth. I just read an article, and I don't remember if it was in "Natural Garden" or "Organic Gardening" about making paving stones. They dug a hole about 2-3 inches deep and poured in a layer of gravel topped with a layer of sand. Then poured in about half a bag of wet cement and pressed a rhubarb leaf, vein side down, into the cement. Took off the leaf ten minutes later and had a big leaf stepping stone. It was really pretty. It would look nicer than the path I have out front and ONE OF THESE DAYS...
I go thru old garden magazines and keep the articles I am interested in by putting them in 3 ring binders. If I need a break, I grab one of the binders and enjoy! We made some of those concrete stones before and for me it is much easier to gather real stones. I live in a very rocky area at the foot of the Rocky Mts. Mixing the concrete was the hardest for me.
Yes, when you have rocks available they are generally easier than "making rocks". However... making stepping stones is fun! YES the mixing of the concrete is hard work. When I've done lots of it at once in small batches (that's sound contradictory but it's not) I have hired a teenager to help lug the cement bags & mix. I dug the trenches & made the forms for a cement border a few years ago. Back breaking work since I was setting larger rocks in it on end, about 3 inches back from the front edge. I loved the finished project but MY OH MY it was work!
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/779605/
I hope I didn't come across as being negative. Just that before I tried it I had no idea that a small bag of concrete mix was so heavy and difficult for me to mix. So I thought I better mention in case anyone might need that info. If you have access to some teen "power" I definitely recommend it! LOL!
Cactus, I sure didn't think you came off as negative! I like it in the spring when they sell 40# bags of cement. I can work a 40# bag all day, but NOT a 60# and I sure do NOT like having ANYTHING to do with a 90#. I know I pay more per pound for 40# when it's available but its worth it to my back.
I hear ya there. I had tendonitis in my rotary cuff tendon and it was painful to lift anything, so now I am having to watch what I lift. After a lifetime of lifting whatever I wanted it is very restraining to me!