Great job! I am so jealous. That was a small one?

Beautiful leaf!!!

Very nice leaf-have you painted it yet?
I also have a large one I cast just before it got cold although not quite as large as yours, you look so proud and so you should be! I brought 2 large pots of EE bulbs inside which are still growing quite well. I'll put them in the cooler root-cellar as soon as they start to go dormant. I did this last fall then took the pots outside again as the weather was suitable in the spring(no frost warnings). Being inside for the fall gave me a little more time to cast smaller EE leaf gift bowls etc for Christmas 2006. One plant while upstairs even produced a peach color 'bloom' of sorts, sorry I've forgotten what it was actually called. Have fun! Wendy

I have been making large elephant ear castings, building them fairly thick (2 inches). Several have cracked, starting from the top of the leaf where it is shaped like a "V" and working down through the center where the vein is. I would appreciate any feedback on how to prevent this and also how to repair them as I want them to hold water.

My castings are made with portland cement and vermiculite.

I make large elephant ear castings too, and I have been using drywall tape as reinforcement. I put on a layer of concrete (I use portland and sand 1:2, or vinyl concrete patch mix)about 1" thick, keeping the mixture about 3/4 inch from the side of the leaf, then I let that set for 10 or 15 minutes. Then I lay the drywall tape out running it down the length of the leaf, not touching, but about 1/2 to 3/4" apart. On top of that layer of drywall tape I place another layer running perpendicular to the first. Then I add the second layer of concrete to make the casting about 2" thick. The second layer usually makes the first spread a little more, closer to the edge. My edges are usually thinner than the center. I'm not walking on them, so that's not a problem.

I have used this method to make some tables, adding some wrought iron bases and they seem sturdy. I don't have a problem with cracking. You have to be sure that you are making the concrete over the central vein thick enough,sometimes that's hard to judge.

Tarol - my guess would be that it is the lack of sand that is causing your leaves to crack.

I've never had any crack but mine is made with Porland cement & fine sand equal parts plus I put down a layer on the leave then use 4-5 strips of drywall tape in enforce it and add another layer of cement mix on top of that.