How Much Mulch Do I Need?

There’s no denying that a fresh application of mulch is arguably the cheapest way to increase curb appeal and make any yard or landscape look remarkably better. Not to mention all of the benefits mulch adds to your plants and soil.

So why don’t more homes and businesses have beautifully mulched yards and gardens?

Well, for one reason, it’s labor-intensive to remove the grass, add mulch, and spread it to the correct depth. But we have found that most people enjoy spending time in their yard and beautifying their property, so this doesn’t appear to be the main challenge.

The real culprit seems to be a lack of understanding about mulch itself and how much a project will require. To ease this challenge, today we’ll answer some of the most common questions surrounding the question: “How much mulch do I need?”

The Benefits of a Proper Amount of Mulch

Mulch or chips are a great addition to any landscaping project. They can be used as a decoration for your plant bed and insulate the plants in your garden. Mulch also decreases weed growth, helps insulate soil temperatures to prevent moisture evaporation from the surface (especially in Florida’s summer heat), and improves nutrient density in soil.

All these benefits are maximized when you choose the right amount of mulch for your project. Too much mulch or too little mulch can cause problems for your gardening or landscaping project.

You Can Have Too Much of a Good Thing

Avoid going overboard and spreading the mulch too thick. A layer of mulch thicker than three inches will actually be harmful to your plants for a couple of reasons:

1. Thicker layers allow too much moisture to sit underneath the mulch—this creates the perfect environment for fungi to grow.
2. If you spread your mulch too thick, it can kill your plants—if your mulch is too thick, your plants may not be able to get the water and nutrients they need to survive.

A layer of mulch at the proper thickness will protect your plants from weather extremes. In the summer, it won’t dry out—keeping moisture available—and in the winter, it will insulate against colder temperatures. (If you live in a climate where hard freezes are frequent or if you have plants that will be harmed by freezes, it is important to take other precautions against the cold as well.)

What Is Bulk Mulch?

Bulk mulch is any mulch that is sold in large quantities. Typically, sellers do not pre-package bulk mulch and usually sell it in cubic yards or simply “yards.”

How Much Mulch Is in a Yard?

A cubic yard is a common unit of measurement with loose landscape materials like rock, stone, and mulch. It is defined as the volume of a cube with 3 feet (or 1 yard) on each side of the cube. Imagine a box that is exactly 3 feet on every side. The amount of mulch that would fit in the box would equal a cubic yard.

How Much Mulch Is in a Bag?

Bags are the most common way customers interact with mulch. When you purchase mulch from stores like Walmart or Home Depot, you are typically buying it in a bag. These bags are reasonably priced and convenient but rarely cover more than a few feet of space in your landscape. In fact, the average bag of mulch contains approximately 2 cubic feet of mulch.

How Many Bags of Mulch in a Yard?

There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard. Since each mulch bag consists of 2 cubic feet, approximately 13.5 bags of mulch are in one yard.

Is Bulk Mulch Really Cheaper Than Bag Mulch?

A quick search for bagged mulch shows that the average price is somewhere around $3 to $6—compare that to the average price of a yard range from $30–$50 (depending on the type). When you need a large quantity, bulk much is much more cost effective—not to mention the benefit of not having to dispose of all that plastic.

Another helpful visualization is a standard pickup truck bed. The average pickup truck can fit 2 yards of mulch. Imagine how many bags of mulch that would take to fill up!

How Much Mulch Do I Need?

We have made this very simple! No need to worry about complex math calculations and formulas. All you’ll need is a tape measure, and our proprietary mulch calculator will do the rest of the heavy lifting.

Order the Perfect Amount of Mulch from Gaston

Once you’ve determined the right amount of mulch with our convenient calculator, we’d love to help you complete your project!

At Gaston Mulch and Soil, we’re proud to offer premium mulch products in bulk amounts. Whether you need dyed mulch, pine bark, pine straw, chips, or garden soil, we have the products you need.

We’re proud to ship throughout the United States. If you live outsid

There’s no denying that a fresh application of mulch is arguably the cheapest way to increase curb appeal and make any yard or landscape look remarkably better. Not to mention all of the benefits mulch adds to your plants and soil.

So why don’t more homes and businesses have beautifully mulched yards and gardens?

Well, for one reason, it’s labor-intensive to remove the grass, add mulch, and spread it to the correct depth. But we have found that most people enjoy spending time in their yard and beautifying their property, so this doesn’t appear to be the main challenge. 

The real culprit seems to be a lack of understanding about mulch itself and how much a project will require. To ease this challenge, today we’ll answer some of the most common questions surrounding the question: “How much mulch do I need?”

The Benefits of a Proper Amount of Mulch

Mulch or chips are a great addition to any landscaping project. They can be used as a decoration for your plant bed and insulate the plants in your garden. Mulch also decreases weed growth, helps insulate soil temperatures to prevent moisture evaporation from the surface (especially in Florida’s summer heat), and improves nutrient density in soil.

All these benefits are maximized when you choose the right amount of mulch for your project. Too much mulch or too little mulch can cause problems for your gardening or landscaping project.

You Can Have Too Much of a Good Thing

Avoid going overboard and spreading the mulch too thick. A layer of mulch thicker than three inches will actually be harmful to your plants for a couple of reasons:

1. Thicker layers allow too much moisture to sit underneath the mulch—this creates the perfect environment for fungi to grow.
2. If you spread your mulch too thick, it can kill your plants—if your mulch is too thick, your plants may not be able to get the water and nutrients they need to survive.

A layer of mulch at the proper thickness will protect your plants from weather extremes. In the summer, it won’t dry out—keeping moisture available—and in the winter, it will insulate against colder temperatures. (If you live in a climate where hard freezes are frequent or if you have plants that will be harmed by freezes, it is important to take other precautions against the cold as well.)

What Is Bulk Mulch?

Bulk mulch is any mulch that is sold in large quantities. Typically, sellers do not pre-package bulk mulch and usually sell it in cubic yards or simply “yards.”

How Much Mulch Is in a Yard?

A cubic yard is a common unit of measurement with loose landscape materials like rock, stone, and mulch. It is defined as the volume of a cube with 3 feet (or 1 yard) on each side of the cube. Imagine a box that is exactly 3 feet on every side. The amount of mulch that would fit in the box would equal a cubic yard.

How Much Mulch Is in a Bag?

Bags are the most common way customers interact with mulch. When you purchase mulch from stores like Walmart or Home Depot, you are typically buying it in a bag. These bags are reasonably priced and convenient but rarely cover more than a few feet of space in your landscape. In fact, the average bag of mulch contains approximately 2 cubic feet of mulch.

How Many Bags of Mulch in a Yard?

There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard. Since each mulch bag consists of 2 cubic feet, approximately 13.5 bags of mulch are in one yard.

Is Bulk Mulch Really Cheaper Than Bag Mulch?

A quick search for bagged mulch shows that the average price is somewhere around $3 to $6—compare that to the average price of a yard range from $30–$50 (depending on the type). When you need a large quantity, bulk much is much more cost effective—not to mention the benefit of not having to dispose of all that plastic.  

Another helpful visualization is a standard pickup truck bed. The average pickup truck can fit 2 yards of mulch. Imagine how many bags of mulch that would take to fill up!

How Much Mulch Do I Need?

We have made this very simple! No need to worry about complex math calculations and formulas. All you’ll need is a tape measure, and our proprietary mulch calculator will do the rest of the heavy lifting.

Order the Perfect Amount of Mulch from Gaston

Once you’ve determined the right amount of mulch with our convenient calculator, we’d love to help you complete your project!

At Gaston Mulch and Soil, we’re proud to offer premium mulch products in bulk amounts. Whether you need dyed mulch, pine bark, pine straw, chips, or garden soil, we have the products you need.

We’re proud to ship directly to you. If you live outside of Gainesville, FL, give us a call, and we’ll provide a custom invoice for your order. Otherwise, feel free to order online! Never ask, “How much mulch do I need?” again, and go with the experts in mulching and landscaping at Gaston Mulch and Soil!e of Gainesville, FL, give us a call, and we’ll provide a custom invoice for your order. Otherwise, feel free to order online! Never ask, “How much mulch do I need?” again, and go with the experts in mulching and landscaping at Gaston Mulch and Soil!