How Much Mulch Do I Really Need?

Now there's a frequently asked question. And to tell you that mulch is sold in bulk by the Cubic Yard (27 Cubic Feet) is actually telling you very little.

Here's an easy way to figure it out before you buy more or less than you need:

Measure the Length (in feet) and the Width (in feet) of the are you want to mulch. Then determine the Depth (in inches) you want to mulch to. If there's already layers of mulch down, apply it to 2" to continue the soil-amending process. If you've never mulched before, or if this is a new garden bed, use 3-4" to start off.

Here's an example: say the existing garden bed is 12'(Length) x 9'(Wide) and you want to mulch to a 2" Depth. The formula looks like this...

You'll need .67 Cubic Yard for mulching this existing garden bed. Simple. It's better to get a full Cubic Yard (27 Cubic Feet) and have some available for other garden areas. It never hurts to stockpile some extra mulch; you'll always find a use for it somewhere.

Now suppose you have a circular garden bed, say around a tree. Use 3.14 x the Radius (in feet) squared, multiplied by the Depth (in inches), divided by 12.

The formula looks like this...

This is mulch for one tree; using the same formula, you could mulch 8.5 trees. But remember; do not snug the mulch around the tree base; instead leave a 5-6" gap of space to allow the bark to get oxygen and avoid any unusual moisture retention that wet mulch would contribute to injuring the tree's health.

If you get stuck on either of these formulas, simply call us with your garden bed's current or proposed dimensions, and we'll help you figure it out.

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