How Much Mulch Do I Need?
It’s a question every individual eyeing a landscaping project has asked at one time or another: how much mulch do I need? It is certainly a simple question, but the answer is not so easy. There are many factors one must take into account before heading to a local supplier for mulch.
Mulch Uses
Mulch is a material composed of leaves, bark and/or compost used to cover soil. The purpose of using mulch isn’t just to make your yard more aesthetically pleasing. Mulch serves many purposes, including overall improvement of the environment. In your yard alone, mulch will be responsible for conserving moisture, reducing weed growth and improving organic matter within the soil. Ideally, mulch should be laid in the spring or fall seasons.
The spring time is perfect for helping break down organic materials, especially since springtime generally brings an abundance of rain. These materials will penetrate your soil, giving your garden a fresh, brown look for the months to come. Laying mulch in the fall has an opposite but beneficial effect, as well. The mulch will help insulate your garden for the upcoming harsh winter months. Either time is recommended for laying mulch, especially for private homeowners.
Where To Mulch
Mulch can be utilized seemingly everywhere on private or public property. From veggie gardens to perennial plants, there is no limit to how much mulch you can choose to use. Mulch can also be utilized as protection for tree trucks from numerous manual machines used for landscaping. Simply put, any place that you would like to lay mulch on your property is a good spot.
Mulch Calculator
This is the tricky part for most individuals. Measuring and/or calculating your exact mulching needs can be a tad confusing. It is recommended that your mulch have a depth of two-four inches, which should prevent weed growth as well as absorb nutrients for the soil bed below. But, keeping the mulch height to no more than four inches is essential – you never want an excess of mulch in your beds. Too much mulch equals a lack of air supply for plant roots.
Finely textured mulch should stay under three inches in depth, while coarse textures can reach up to four inches in depth. The first thing you must do when figuring out how much mulch is needed is to figure out the square footage of your bed. From there, multiply the width by the length for rectangular or square beds. Multiply the radius by itself, then multiply your total by 3.14 for round beds. Remember that mulch is sold by cubic yard, which is an inch deep for a 324-square-foot area.
Luckily enough, exact calculations for your specific mulch needs is available right here. This tool can help you figure out how much mulch you need for your bed type.