How Do I Calculate How Much Mulch I Need?

“How do I calculate how much mulch I need?” Are you asking this same age-old question every spring? It’s time to tackle this not-so-thrilling but oh-so-important task of figuring out how much mulch you need. We’ve got you covered. 

Don’t worry if you haven’t thought about a right angle since high school – just follow these steps:

  • Do you have a neat rectangle to mulch? Multiply length by width.
  • Dealing with a circle? Channel your inner pi enthusiast and use πr².
  • Do your beds look more like a Picasso painting? Just break it down into smaller shapes and add them up
  • How deep do you want to go? The sweet spot is usually between 2 to 4 inches.

Here’s where it gets a little mathy (but we promise, it’s not too bad). We need to turn that area into volume.

  • Multiply your area by the depth you want, and voila! You’ve got cubic feet.
  • Need cubic yards instead? Just divide by 27.

Now, if you’re more of a ‘click a button and get an answer’ type – you are in luck.

Our Mulch Calculator will do all the heavy lifting! Plug in your numbers, and let it do its thing.

Need a pro tip? It’s always smart to buy about 10% more than you calculated. Uneven ground or extra coverage for stubborn weed areas can eat up your mulch faster than expected. Plus, a little extra mulch never hurt anybody—it’s better to have a bit left over than to come up short!

Need Help? We’re Just a Call Away!

No need to ask “how do I calculate how much mulch I need” any longer. Still feel stumped? Your Greendell team is always here to help – so reach out with any questions. We love to chat all things mulch-related. Empty beds are NO fun.