Rock Planter

I made this project to use some old rocks in our yard and do it for a contest. It took me about 20 hours, and I'm a freshman, so I doesn't really take that long. But I like how it turned out and hope yours turn out great too

Supplies you need for this project consist of:

Rocks

Gravel or sand

Shovel

Garden shovel

Wheel barrow or sled

Dirt

Level

Sledgehammer

Landscaping fabric and staples

Plants

Wood chips or rocks

Blowtorch

Water

Work gloves

Music also made this project go way faster

Make up a design for the wall and get some rocks

Dig a trench for the rocks to go into so then you make more of a level ground and be more stable

Put an even level of gravel in the trench to make it almost level, but still make sure it is below the ground. You don't want to fill the trench completely

Start with the corners and build into the hill and then to the other corner. Add or remove gravel to make sure the rocks stay some what level to each other. If they aren't level, it will be a lot harder to finish steps farther ahead

Add dirt or gravel to backfill the first row. This will strengthen the first row and also allow you to use that gravel or dirt as a foundation too

Put the second row of rock on, making sure it's still level. You can put gravel on the back side to make it more level of you need. Try to put the rocks where they would be on top to two, like if you were to make a strong lego wall. Also put them like a inch away from the edge of the first row, this will strengthen the wall

I put my left over sod into the backfilling area to get it out of the way.tyen I covered it up with dirt to finish backfilling

This was my last row of rock, so I went with a formation a little more creative. I put two big rocks in the corners, one being special rock that I was saving to show off, and then have the rocks go smaller and smaller till it got to the middle. Since it was my last row, it didn't have to be level, but still try to make the rocks not wobble

I put dirt around the bottom to cover up the trench and gravel. Then I fully backfilled the wall, which means that wall is official done

Then dig a trench for the back wall if you want one. You can use the same rocks, or use bricks, I decided to use rocks. Then fill the trench with gravel, like beforw

I forgot to take a picture of it, but you just place the rocks. They don't have to be level at all unless you want them to. But leave a little gap in the trench on the inside part of it is you tick the landscaping fabric in on an upcoming step

Make a small trench around the rocks in the backfilled area. This allows you to tuck extra fabric into the trench instead of peeking out of the woodchips

I used 6 foot landscaping fabric and used a blowtorch to cut it, or melt it I should say. Ise staples were it flaps up and at the seams of where to pieces meet. Try to get it where there aren't any folds in it because then it will be easier to hide under woodchips

Burn the holes in the fabric with the blowtorch and dig a hole big enough for the plant. .make sure the outside plants are at least a foot away from the wall, if the roots get to close, their roots will freeze and die, which will kill the plant. Make enough room where you can pack dirt around the plants. Avoid air bubbles in the dirt because this can also kill the plants

I used wood chips for the cover, but you can also use rock. Make it about half an inch to an inch thick so weeds don't grow in it as much

Put away all the tools you use and pick up all the rocks you didn't use. Mow and weed wack around it

Your done, you can now show off your work to your friend and family