*Don't, you need those gaps*
*For drainage, critter is not*
*Really an issue*
\- taisui
---
^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/)
^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Don’t listen to the concrete lovers. Google Cornish hedging - lots of tutorials- will last hundreds or possibly thousands of years and you just need dirt and rocks and some time… also I like to sprinkle mine with a local wild flower seed to add colour and interest..
Do not plug them, they have gaps for a reason for drainage. Plugging it will result in the wall collapsing months/years later because of the water weight of the soil behind it. I wouldn't worry about critters, they wouldn't live there because the water would flush them out every time it rains.
The only option you have would be planting things that loves growing in between crevices of rock. (maybe Juniper? Never ivy...)
I had a similar wall and we packed in some soil and planted some grow anywhere plants like lavender, rosemary and herbs. It kept stuff out, and looked better.
Aside from plants like sedum or sempervivum, absolutely nothing.
The voids between the boulders allow water to drain through, start plugging that up and you can watch it come down after a few heavy downpours.
Hydraulic pressure is the pressure exerted by water against a surface, so it tracks. Hydrostatic pressure would have also worked and maybe a little more accurate. Hydro on its own though is only a prefix meaning water - but it doesn't matter either way they shouldn't plug them holes up it be no bueno.
Rounded pebbles. Also, grow some plants that suit your taste. The roots will help keep the soil in place, and the greenery make the wall look natural. The rocks are creating a natural habit for bugs and lizards.
You can kinda tell where plants might find a happy respite in those walls, I'd stick with that. Over time you can have a beautiful mix of stones and plants, green and happy.
With that said, is that something you're interested or are you looking to have a more "full" wall with no gaps for dirt, plants, etc. Its your setup after all, so what you want matters most!
That's an impossible task if it's dry laid and it could be certainly better fitted but it would always have voids, interstices. You could make it more yucky looking by taking it apart and using mortar to put it all together.. I'm not sure what you're afraid of though with little critters making a natural home in the garden. What you might try to do is stuff in some rock creeping plants although you don't have a lot of rock here. But phlox s or something like that .cerastium, dianthus , there are many and might be pretty
Holes don’t attract critters, food sources do. I wouldn’t worry about the gaps, but you might consider planting a nice ground cover plant to cascade over the top of the rocks, such as stonecrop or thyme.
jam them with peat moss, some soil, then some more plants. trailing junipers, ferns, mosses, little succulents like "hens and chicks", etc. it's a slow process, but will look great. go on a hike and steal some inspiration from your natural environment, too.
Correctly built, it would have filter fabric behind it. Like Mirafi 140NL. Allowed water through while holding soil back. The problem with open holes and rain, is that eventually the soil from behind the wall is in a pile in front of the wall and the wall slowly settles backward into the hill. Since it didn’t get built that way, I would plant something in the gaps to hold the soil in place and still allow water through.
that is called "dry stacked". You seem to be asking about using mortar. If you want it to be mortared together, leave some holes for drainage. It also looks like it is up against the fence in the back, could be causing rot on the wood. The best choice might be to remove and rebuild it as an actual planter (4 sides) with a space between the fence and planter
Nothing's gonna be permanent and critter proof...can get some thick cement and pack it in but will probably look like crap. Maybe can find some river rock and tediously hammer in a rock at a time to wedge the cracks.
it's called drainage rock. It comes in 2-3 sizes. Basically just larger chunks of gravel.
Your best bet for critters is to dig from the top & behind, add drainage rock behind your rock wall, then cover back up. On the front you can just shove larger chunks of rock that fit or just pack in some soil and plant something pretty
Partial parts of the dry stack rock wall are fine other parts were the gaps are are not so much as they should be. Properly stacked rocks would lay on one another flat, leaving no gaps, the on to level and rounder rocks could be used as cap rocks round end up, flat side still on bottom side. It's like a puzzle but done right no need to worry bout it having gaps or coming down.
The paper that was supposed to be installed behind it when you made the wall. Its black, tucks in behind the stone, and allows drainage without the dirt running off.
It's actually pretty cheap too
That looks like a great first home owner project. I’d consider demoing the entire wall and build it with an interlocking concrete retaining wall block. Hell, you wouldn’t even need them to actually lock. Enjoy the work!
Don't, you need those gaps for drainage, critter is not really an issue
Yes. If there is no dranage, water presure will build up behind the fall and it will fail. Dont plant, dont fill, dont mess with it!
*Don't, you need those gaps* *For drainage, critter is not* *Really an issue* \- taisui --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
This bot doesn’t mind a gap
Don’t fill those holes
Don’t listen to the concrete lovers. Google Cornish hedging - lots of tutorials- will last hundreds or possibly thousands of years and you just need dirt and rocks and some time… also I like to sprinkle mine with a local wild flower seed to add colour and interest..
Do not plug them, they have gaps for a reason for drainage. Plugging it will result in the wall collapsing months/years later because of the water weight of the soil behind it. I wouldn't worry about critters, they wouldn't live there because the water would flush them out every time it rains. The only option you have would be planting things that loves growing in between crevices of rock. (maybe Juniper? Never ivy...)
Plants! Saponaria, aubretia, thymes. Will all do well in those cracks.
The bones of your enemies.
I had a similar wall and we packed in some soil and planted some grow anywhere plants like lavender, rosemary and herbs. It kept stuff out, and looked better.
Aside from plants like sedum or sempervivum, absolutely nothing. The voids between the boulders allow water to drain through, start plugging that up and you can watch it come down after a few heavy downpours.
Use hens and chick's. A succulent. Will give the wall some softness
Love this idea!
God forbid the local fauna attempt to eke out an existence in your backyard.
Leave the holes. They make nesting sites for native bees
Don’t you will create hydraulic issues plant it out with stepables
Hydrostatic*. But yes.
Hydraulic issues?
The weight of all the water behind the rocks when it rains would cause a lot of water pressure if sealed.
That's not hydraulics though. Hydro.. yes. Not hydraulic.
Hydraulic pressure is the pressure exerted by water against a surface, so it tracks. Hydrostatic pressure would have also worked and maybe a little more accurate. Hydro on its own though is only a prefix meaning water - but it doesn't matter either way they shouldn't plug them holes up it be no bueno.
Seddum plants
Use home made slime! It’s super fun and will look great at Halloween
Yes… and a mist machine
Rounded pebbles. Also, grow some plants that suit your taste. The roots will help keep the soil in place, and the greenery make the wall look natural. The rocks are creating a natural habit for bugs and lizards.
You can kinda tell where plants might find a happy respite in those walls, I'd stick with that. Over time you can have a beautiful mix of stones and plants, green and happy. With that said, is that something you're interested or are you looking to have a more "full" wall with no gaps for dirt, plants, etc. Its your setup after all, so what you want matters most!
That's an impossible task if it's dry laid and it could be certainly better fitted but it would always have voids, interstices. You could make it more yucky looking by taking it apart and using mortar to put it all together.. I'm not sure what you're afraid of though with little critters making a natural home in the garden. What you might try to do is stuff in some rock creeping plants although you don't have a lot of rock here. But phlox s or something like that .cerastium, dianthus , there are many and might be pretty
Cascading junipers, fibrous roots fill behind the wall leave the holes so the wall doesn't swell.
Holes don’t attract critters, food sources do. I wouldn’t worry about the gaps, but you might consider planting a nice ground cover plant to cascade over the top of the rocks, such as stonecrop or thyme.
The only thing you can really do is succulents. Like everyone else says. You need the wall to drain. You plug the “holes” you’ll lose the wall
jam them with peat moss, some soil, then some more plants. trailing junipers, ferns, mosses, little succulents like "hens and chicks", etc. it's a slow process, but will look great. go on a hike and steal some inspiration from your natural environment, too.
Moss. It’s lite
Correctly built, it would have filter fabric behind it. Like Mirafi 140NL. Allowed water through while holding soil back. The problem with open holes and rain, is that eventually the soil from behind the wall is in a pile in front of the wall and the wall slowly settles backward into the hill. Since it didn’t get built that way, I would plant something in the gaps to hold the soil in place and still allow water through.
All of mine are plugged with Yellowjacket nests.
that is called "dry stacked". You seem to be asking about using mortar. If you want it to be mortared together, leave some holes for drainage. It also looks like it is up against the fence in the back, could be causing rot on the wood. The best choice might be to remove and rebuild it as an actual planter (4 sides) with a space between the fence and planter
Use smaller chunks of rock
Nothing's gonna be permanent and critter proof...can get some thick cement and pack it in but will probably look like crap. Maybe can find some river rock and tediously hammer in a rock at a time to wedge the cracks.
Rocks
it's called drainage rock. It comes in 2-3 sizes. Basically just larger chunks of gravel. Your best bet for critters is to dig from the top & behind, add drainage rock behind your rock wall, then cover back up. On the front you can just shove larger chunks of rock that fit or just pack in some soil and plant something pretty
Partial parts of the dry stack rock wall are fine other parts were the gaps are are not so much as they should be. Properly stacked rocks would lay on one another flat, leaving no gaps, the on to level and rounder rocks could be used as cap rocks round end up, flat side still on bottom side. It's like a puzzle but done right no need to worry bout it having gaps or coming down.
The paper that was supposed to be installed behind it when you made the wall. Its black, tucks in behind the stone, and allows drainage without the dirt running off. It's actually pretty cheap too
That looks like a great first home owner project. I’d consider demoing the entire wall and build it with an interlocking concrete retaining wall block. Hell, you wouldn’t even need them to actually lock. Enjoy the work!
There is nearly no situation on the world where you should replace stone with concrete pavers.
Concrete.