How Much Mulch Do I Need?

Are you about to add mulch to your garden? "How much mulch do I need" is the question that you probably have in mind right now. The article below will give you the required information that you need when it comes to applying mulch in your garden.

Let’s find out by reading the information provided below.

What is a Mulch?

Mulch is used to help your garden to have a uniform and clean appearance. There are also a lot of benefits that your soil can get from using mulch, such as a barrier of the sprouting of weeds, and as well as reduce the loss of water through the soil’s evaporation.

There are also mulches that are degradable, including bark dust and straw decompose, which will help in improving the nutrients and other organic matter in your soil.

There are also other types of mulch, including gravel which doesn’t need to break down. But this kind of mulch should not often be replaced compared to mulches that are degradable. No matter what type of mulch you are going to use, the most important thing that you need to do is to know how much mulch you need for your soil.

It can be quite difficult to accurately predict how much mulch you need, but if you access an online mulch calculator, it can quite easy to prepare mulch according to your requirements. More importantly, this can save you money and time. 

How Many Cubic Feet is Needed in a Yard of Mulch

Typically a mulch is being sold by stores by the bag, and they usually come in different sizes, which ranges from one cubic foot to three cubic feet per bag. If you prefer buying the “1 cubic feet bag”, you will need 27 bags for every 1 cubic yard. Typically, the size of your yard will determine the number of mulch bags that you will need.

That is why it is important to follow the table below to ensure that your yard will be getting the right amount of mulch. In this way, your lawn, will remain healthy and free from unwanted plants.

How Much Mulch Do I Need for a Circular Bed Square

For you to know how much mulch you need for a circular bed square, you need to measure the bed’s diameter in feet. Divide the total by half for you to be able to get the radius. The radius will then be multiplied by itself.

Once you’re done, you need to get the area by multiplying the radio squared by pi (3.14) for you to be able to get the required area in square feet. Once you got the area in square feet, the next thing that you need to do is multiply it to the depth that you desire in inches.

Once you got the total, the next thing that you need to do is to divide it by 324. Typically for a mulch that is 2 inches in layers in a 6-foot circle, you will need a mulch that measures 0.2 cubic yards. 

The reason behind this is because a bed is small and the number is usually being rounded to the nearest tenth.

How Much Mulch Do I Need for Cubic Yards

For you to know how much mulch is needed for cubic yards, you need to measure the width and the length of the area in feet. Once done, you need to multiply them together for you to be able to find the square feet of the area.

You can start doing this process in all of the areas where you plant to lay the mulch that you have and add together the total square footage of all of the areas that you are planning to cover. Of course, you also need to know how deep the mulch's layer will be.

Typical in most vegetable gardens and flowerbeds, you will need 2 to 3 inches of mulch in depth. But for grass and heavy weed suppression, you can put at least 6 inches of mulch. If you want to make sure, you can start multiplying the total area that you have in feet by the depth that you want for the mulch.

The answer should be divided by 324 and round it of to the nearest whole number for you to find out how much mulch you need for cubic yards.

Above are the answers to your question on how much mulch do I need, but you’re probably thinking about the types of mulch available today.

Mulch You can Purchase for Your Garden

Benefits of Using Mulch

Using a bag of mulch is a good habit when it comes to gardening since it has a lot of advantages. If you are one of the many who is still having second thoughts of using mulch, then the information below will help you decide.

Weed Germination

One of the known benefits of using mulch is that it can inhibit the growth and as well as the germination of weed. Weeds are sore to the eyes, and they are also known to steal all the necessary resources from the other garden plants that you have that are more desirable.

Soil Moisture

Another good thing about mulch is that it helps the soil to hold on to the moisture that it needs. It will help the plants to stay protected since the plants won’t dry quickly.

Helps in Soil Temperature

Mulch also can moderate the temperature fluctuations of the soil. This is most especially useful during the season of spring since the weather can be turbulent during the season. Help moderate the temperature by adding mulch so your plants won’t be stressed, which can then affect their growth.

Keeps the Roots Protected

Putting mulch will help the roots keep protected during winter or colder weather, as it will prevent the roots from frost-heaving. The plants will be pushed away from the ground by the soil’s contraction, and the natural expansion as the soil cools and heats up. On the other hand, the mulch will help the roots of the plant to be cooler.

Right Mulch to Use

Wrapping Up How Much Mulch Do I Need?

If you are unsure of what mulch is needed then asking the gardening store about it would be essential. Of course, it would be best to get to know your plants for you to are aware of their needs and the needs of your soil.

Also, don’t forget to take note on how many cubic feet of a yard mulch is needed when applying.

These are all the information that you need when it comes to the types and how much of mulch that you need for your garden.

Now that you know the answer to "How much mulch do I need," all you have to do is to choose the right mulch and apply it to your garden’s soil to reap off its benefits.