Planning a garden project? Use our handy mulch calculator to quickly estimate how much mulch you’ll need, based on area size and depth, as well as different types of mulch. Skip the guesswork!
Mulch is a gardener’s best friend. It's a layer of organic material spread over soil to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate temperature.
Applying mulch also helps improve plant growth, reduce water usage, and cut back on weeding time. Whether you're refreshing garden beds or starting from scratch, mulch is a simple, effective way to protect and beautify your outdoor space!
The best mulch is any natural mulch that is plant-sourced. Shredded bark nicely decomposes over time, enriching soil health. Pine needles or pine "straw" is popular in the south and natural looking. We tend to use the bigger wood chips for paths, not gardens, as they don't decompose as well. Straw works well, as long as it’s weed-free. Of course, mulched leaves are the best—and free!
In a food garden, just ensure mulch material is not "colored" or chemically sprayed with herbicide or pesticides. Do not ever use rubber mulch in food gardens.
Learn more about the different types of mulch here
FAQ
How Much Mulch Do I Need?
That depends on how big your space is and how deep you want the mulch. Our calculator takes care of the math—just plug in your numbers.
How Do I Measure for the Mulch Calculator?
Grab a tape measure and jot down the length and width of your bed in feet. If it’s a wonky shape, break it into smaller rectangles and add ’em up.
How Deep Should My Mulch Be?
Measure your area, decide on your mulch depth (usually 2–4 inches), and let our tool do the work. Usually 3 inches is plenty for organic mulch.
How Many Bags of Mulch Do I Need?
Most mulch bags contain 2 cubic feet of material so this is what our calculator uses. But if your bags are larger, divide your total cubic feet needed by the bag size to determine how many to buy.
