Lowe's Mulch Calculator (2024)

FAQs

How do you calculate how much mulch you need? ›

To calculate mulch in yards, it is essential to note that one cubic yard of material will cover an area of 324 square feet at a depth of an inch. To determine the total amount of mulch needed, the formula is: Square footage x desired depth (in inches)/ 324.

Again, you can use a garden hoe or hand weeder or follow the instructions for using a weed killer. If you're mulching around a tree, you can remove the grass or simply put down a layer of black-and-white newspaper, thoroughly water it down and then cover it with your mulch. Add mulch to a depth of 2 to 4 inches.

Then calculate the mulch needed for each section and add them for the total mulch needed. Note that one cubic yard of mulch (often just called "a yard") is 27 cubic feet. Most bags of mulch hold 2 cubic feet. So there are 13.5 bags of mulch in a yard.

If you're getting ready to install mulch in your landscape beds, you are likely wondering if you need to first remove the old mulch. Well, the simple answer is no! It's not necessary to remove the old mulch from your landscape beds because it's made up of organic material, and it will decompose over time.

In general, mid- to late-spring is mulching season; this is when the soil is warming up from the freezing temperatures it experienced all winter. Mulching too early will slow down the warming process, which the soil needs to do its job.

A 1-inch to 2-inch layer of fine mulch should be sufficient, while a coarser material should be 3 to 4 inches deep. Too much of either type can suffocate your plants. In areas where you simply want to keep anything from growing, you can lay it on as thick as you like.

A: There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard. Most bagged mulch is sold in 2 cubic foot bags. So, for every 13.5 bags, you need one cubic yard. Example: If you used 54 bags last year, you would get the same amount of mulch in 4 cubic yards.

You should spread your mulch to be two to four inches thick. If your mulch is too thin, then weeds can push through. If your mulch is too thick, it prevents water from reaching the soil. Water after mulching — This is an optional step, but a final watering can help settle the mulch into place.

Can I just put mulch over weeds? ›

Weed first, then mulch. When you're preparing your bed, move aside old mulch, pull any weeds and then apply a layer of fresh mulch. Treat the soil with a pre-emergent herbicide before mulching. In some cases, especially around trees and shrubs, you can also lay down landscape fabric before mulching.

With bags, there can be variances – and this may not be acceptable for some projects. Plus, the lack of packaging makes buying bulk mulch an eco-friendly choice. Making a bulk purchase can also save you money. Though delivery to your door comes with an added charge, your overall price may be lower if you buy in bulk.

You want to cover the beds to have a layer of mulch that is 3" deep. You'll need to calculate how much mulch you need for one bed, and then multiply that by 5 to cover each of your beds. To calculate mulch for one bed multiply the length times the width, and then multiply that by the depth.

One cubic yard is a volume measuring 3 feet wide, 3 feet long, and 3 feet tall. It is equal to 27 cubic feet. Your typical wheelbarrow holds 4-5 cubic feet of material or 1 cubic yard could fill approximately 7-9 wheelbarrow loads.

Air can't get through and neither can rain. Landscape fabric is not needed beneath mulch to block weeds, if you have the correct amount of mulch. Also, as the mulch breaks down, the nutrients and compost cannot do their job of helping the plants' roots and weeds end up seeding into the compst on top of the fabric.

1 scoop of mulch 128 sq. ft.