Enter the size of your beds and how deep you want the mulch. You’ll get cubic feet, cubic yards and bags, and what bagged and bulk mulch would cost.
How much mulch to buy
Mulch needed50 cu ft
Cubic yards1.85
Bags of 2 cu ft25
Buying option
Amount
Cost
Per cu ft
Bags
25 × 2 cu ft
$100
$2.00
BulkPlus delivery. Suppliers sell in quarter- or half-yard steps.
2 cu yd
$70
$1.30
Covers 200 sq ft at 3 in. One cubic yard covers about 108 sq ft at this depth.
How the calculator works
The calculator multiplies the area of each bed by the depth you want, minus any mulch already there, and converts the result to cubic feet (area × depth in inches ÷ 12) and cubic yards (cubic feet ÷ 27). Bags are rounded up to whole bags. Bulk amounts are rounded up to the next quarter yard.
Mulching tips
Two to three inches of wood mulch keeps soil moist and smothers most weed seedlings.
Keep mulch 2 to 3 inches away from tree trunks and plant stems to prevent rot.
In vegetable beds, wait until the soil has warmed in late spring before mulching warm-season crops.
Mulch breaks down over time, so most beds need a 1-inch top-up each year.
Frequently asked questions
How many bags of mulch do I need?
Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in inches and divide by 12 to get cubic feet, then divide by the bag size. A 10×20 ft bed at 3 inches needs 50 cubic feet, or 25 bags of 2 cubic feet.
How much area does a cubic yard of mulch cover?
One cubic yard covers about 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, 162 square feet at 2 inches and 108 square feet at 3 inches.
How deep should mulch be?
Two to three inches is enough for most beds. Deeper mulch can keep water and air from reaching roots. Keep mulch a few inches away from tree trunks and plant stems so they stay dry.
How many bags of mulch are in a yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it equals 13.5 bags of 2 cubic feet or 18 bags of 1.5 cubic feet.
Do I need to remove old mulch before adding new mulch?
Usually not. Break up any matted layer with a rake and add just enough to bring the total back to 2 to 3 inches. Enter your existing depth in the calculator so it only counts the top-up.
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