Basic technique for making ferrocement pots so far:

Begins with a very basic armature made of the most workable guage of steel for the size of the project. It can be made of 1/8 - 1/4 inch diameter wire/rod for small to medium pots. For pots of a larger size, rebar would be used. Welding makes it quick and easy, but with the right design, wiring would be fine. This sketch is the bare minimum and could be a lot more elaborate, depending on the shape you want to create. We did try a small pot with no armature just 2 layers of chicken wire - it worked but was kind of wiggly, making applying the first layer of cement more difficult.

The cinsistency of the mix is key.

Add to a wheelbarrow:
3 shovels of sand, 1 shovel of type s masonry cement. 3 times for a total of 9 sand 3 masonry.

mix the sand and cement powder with a hoe. add the perlite (9 shovels). (dust mask good idea)

add water, in small quantities from a bucket, mixing from one side of the dry ingredients to the other. For this purpose, the cement has to be plenty wet to work easily and be sticky, but not so wet as to run or fall off the armature. Add fibers and mix thouroughly and give it some vigorous strokes. It will seem almost fluffy.

Heavy duty rubber dipped gloves are a wonderful tool for this purpose. The key is to get them on both sides of the wire and squeese and spread the cement into the wire in an upward stroke.

An upward motion with both hands helps the gloves to slide over the cement rather than sticking.

Resist the temtation to work the cement too much or it will try to fall off. leave a rough surface to help the second coat to stick.

Keep the first coat wet overnite- wrap with damp rags and plastic, and apply second coat the next day. This coat is smoothed with any technique you come up with. rags, sponges, plastic work for smoothing.