Organic bark mulch, stones, or rocks add beauty to any landscape or garden project. Mulch has many benefits, increases nutrient density in the soil, reduces weed growth, helps insulate the temperature in the soil and keeps moisture from evaporating, which is important in Central Florida’s heat.
Choosing the right type and amount of mulch for your project can maximize these benefits. But how much mulch do you need?
Applying the proper depth of mulch
The standard depth for flower beds, around trees, and gardens, is three inches. This depth acts as a protective top layer. Allowing moisture to stay where your plants need it and insulating the roots from the intense heat.
Too much of a good thing
Yes, spreading a layer well over three inches of mulch can be harmful to your plants. Too much mulch can cause moisture to build up, creating the ideal environment for fungus to flourish. Also, if the mulch is applied too thick, the roots of the plants may not be able to absorb the nutrients and water they need to live.
How much mulch is in one cubic yard?
It isn’t always easy to figure out how much mulch you need, especially if you have a big project. If you apply a layer of mulch three inches deep, one cubic yard would cover an area that is 8 X 10 feet or 80 square feet..
If you are more of a visual person, it takes two cubic yards to fill a bed of a pickup truck.
How many bags of mulch add up to one cubic yard?
If you’ve ever bought mulch from a big box store, they typically come in bags. One cubic yard is the same as 13.5 bags. But don’t worry, you won’t have to drag all those bags to your car, then to your landscape or garden, Reliable Peat can help you load your truck or deliver it to your home.
Calculating how much mulch you will need
Calculating how much mulch you will need can be a little tricky. You can use the instructions below or just contact Reliable Peat, one of our friendly team will assist you in ordering the correct amount for your project.
First, measure the width and length of the area you want mulched in feet, then multiply them together to find the area in square feet.
Second, calculate how deep you want the mulch. Then multiply the area of square feet by the depth in inches. For example, if the square footage is 500 and you want it 3 inches deep, 500 x 3 = 1500
Third, divide the answer by 324 (since a single cubic yard of mulch will cover 324 square feet of ground that is one inch deep). Then round to the nearest whole number, 1500 / 324 = 5 cubic yards of mulch.
You can also visit the mulch calculator at Stop Waste.
Choosing the right mulch for your project
Reliable Peat offers a variety of mulch, stones, soil, and rocks for all your gardening and landscape needs.
