Portland cement is the desired ingredient for making hypertufa pots, but sometimes it is difficult to decide which of those bags you need. I will help. But after questioning, it seems that the most likely culprit is not starting with the main ingredient of Portland cement. For a great hypertufa project, you need Portland cement. This is the ingredient which "hardens" and forms the trough or container you are making. ( It's really a chemical process of crystallization, but we won't get all technical.)