CalculatorMulchHow much mulch for the whole garden?
Ordering bed by bed is how people end up with three deliveries and two leftover bags. One order needs one number.
What the yard needs this month
MonthlyOne job a month, with the depth and the volume it actually needs. No plant catalogues, no upsell — just the material side of the garden.
Free to use — Pro is for keeping it
This tool, like every other one here, is free and needs no account. A free account keeps three setups and three email alerts. Pro takes the ads off every site we run and lifts that to 200 setups and 50 alerts, adds a public page for any result and lets you embed the tool without our badge.
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How this works
Coverage per cubic yard
One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so the area it covers depends entirely on depth.
| Depth | Area covered by 1 cubic yard | Bags of 2 cu ft per 100 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft | 4.2 |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | 8.3 |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft | 12.5 |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft | 16.7 |
Two to three inches suits most beds. Beyond four inches mulch holds water against stems and smothers roots.
Frequently asked questions
Why cubic yards?
Because that is how bulk mulch is sold and delivered. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, which is why the number looks small next to the area.
How deep should mulch be?
Two to three inches for most beds. Deeper than four smothers roots and holds too much water against stems; less than two does not suppress weeds.
Should I really add ten percent?
For bulk, yes — it settles, and running short means a second delivery charge. For bags, buy exact and return the unopened ones.