Mulch Calculator
Determine exactly how much mulch or soil you need for your garden beds, in bulk yards or standard bags.
How to Buy Mulch
Mulch is typically sold in two ways: in bulk by the Cubic Yard, or in individual plastic bags at hardware stores (which usually contain 2 Cubic Feet of material).
- Recommended Depth: For new garden beds, a depth of 3 to 4 inches is recommended to suppress weeds and retain moisture. If you are just "top dressing" an existing bed to refresh the color, 1 to 2 inches is usually plenty.
- Bulk vs. Bags: One Cubic Yard is equivalent to exactly 27 Cubic Feet. Therefore, it takes 13.5 standard bags of mulch to equal one Cubic Yard of bulk mulch.
- Cost Efficiency: For projects requiring more than 2 or 3 Cubic Yards, ordering a bulk delivery from a local landscape supply company is almost always cheaper than buying individual bags.