TIL an old timer at a job site in Dallas showed me the 3-2-1 mortar mix and it saved my whole wall
About 6 months ago I was doing a garden wall in Dallas and it was my first big solo job, so I mixed mortar the way I always did, just eyeballing sand and cement until it looked about right. This old timer named Ray watched me for a bit and finally came over and asked who taught me that. I got a little defensive but he was calm about it. He mixed a small batch right there, 3 parts sand, 2 parts lime, 1 part cement, and had me squeeze a ball in my hand. It held together but still crumbled at the edges, which he said is exactly what you want. My first batch pooled water at the bottom of the wheelbarrow and I never noticed. The wall went up straight and the joints stopped cracking after the first freeze. I still mix small test batches before I touch a full wall. What mix do you all run for garden walls in colder parts of the country?