When some of our clients either come in to Reliable Peat’s office, call us or message us on Facebook, they often ask, how much organic bark mulch will they need for a particular project. Others are looking to incorporate decorative stones or rocks into their landscaping or add gravel o their driveway. Either way, they need to know how much material they will need.
The Answer
If you want an accurate estimate you will need to measure. While many people just want to “guesstimate” and hope for the best, you can end up with not enough mulch or stones, or too much.
Before you start your next landscape project, here are a few important things to know
Quality Matters
The quality and amount of mulch you apply to your landscape matters! Applying a sparse layer won’t be aesthetically pleasing and won’t be able to do its job of suppressing weeds and insulate the roots to protect against Central Florida’s intense heat.
On the other side, too much mulch is also not beneficial. Applying excessive mulch can cause issues, such as, reducing how much moisture reaches the roots of the plants and not decomposing as it should
Typically, two to three inches of mulch should be applied to plant beds. If your project is 150 square feet and you want your mulch to be two inches deep, you will need a yard of mulch.
The key is to measure the area of your project and know how many square feet it will take.
To calculate the square feet of your project you need to measure the width and the length, in feet, and then multiply these numbers. This is the same, whether you are mulching plant beds and a driveway. It is all about the measurements. So, it is worth doing it a few times to make sure they are right. “Measure twice and cut once”.
What if your project is an odd shape? Check back with us next week.
Our team at Reliable Peat are here to help you calculate the square feet and how much mulch you will need for the project.
