Home & Garden
Mulch Calculator
How much mulch does a bed need? Measure the bed, pick a depth, and get the volume in cubic yards and the bag count for store-bought mulch.
0.93
cubic yards (bulk)
25.0
cubic feet
13
bags of 2 cu ft
9
bags of 3 cu ft
How the math works
Mulch volume is area times depth. A 10 ft by 10 ft bed is 100 square feet. At 3 inches deep (0.25 ft), that is 25 cubic feet, and 27 cubic feet make a cubic yard, so the same bed takes 0.93 cubic yards in bulk.
Bag counts are the cubic feet divided by the bag size, rounded up, because you cannot buy part of a bag. Three inches is the working depth for most beds: enough to hold moisture and suppress weeds without smothering roots. Go to 2 inches for a yearly top-up over existing mulch.
Planning a native garden bed? Rebate-Ready Garden plans match real rebate programs.