Measuring out how much mulch you need can feel like a mulch mountain, but we want to keep it as simple as possible. Really our goal is to make sure you don’t end up with too much or, even worse, too little. There’s a lot of different ways you can approach it but we’ve laid out a few tips to get you started. And once you have the right calculations, just head over to the mulch calculator on our homepage to find out how much you need. Or simply call your closest mulchologist at a GreenCycle nearest to you.
MEASURE FIRST
We first need to make a few quick measurements. If you have a square or rectangular shaped garden area, you'll want to measure the length (in feet) and the width (in feet). If it’s not a standard shape, though, we recommend breaking it up into more measurable pieces to add together. Now if you have a circular space, it's not a tricky as you may think. Just measure the distance from edge to edge through the center of the bed to get the diameter. Hold on to these measurements, as you'll use them in a moment.
IN MOST BEDS, AIM FOR 2”
Now that you have the measurements of your bed, you’ll want to determine how deep you’d like your mulch layer to be. As a general guideline, two to three inches is usually all you need - it’s mostly going to be your preference. As a note, though, you will never need more than three inches as thick layers restrict oxygen flow to the root zone.
IT’S MULCH TIME
Now it’s time to crunch the numbers to determine the volume of mulch. Don’t worry, it isn’t hard, just head over to our nifty mulch calculator and plug in the numbers from the first two steps. And just like that, you now have the estimated amount of mulch needed in cubic yards.
Keep in mind, when buying bulk mulch you will need to purchase a minimum of one cubic yard, which covers approximately 100 square feet of space to a depth of 3 inches. It’s also around 13.5 bags – 2 cubic yards each, with 27 cubic feet to a yard. If you’re needing less mulch than this, bulk mulch may not be the right choice for you.
