Do you know what mulch is? Mulch is any material placed over soil to enhance its health and appearance and is a gardener’s best friend. The mulch is applied to the soil to make a protective layer that will help retain moisture, suppress weeds, regulate temperature and also improve soil quality.
Advertisement:
Mulch can be organic, which includes bark, wood chips, straw, compost, and grass clippings that over time will decompose and enrich the soil where mulch was applied.
Also, there is inorganic mulch that includes stones, rubber, landscape fabric, and plastic. The inorganic mulch don’t break down but lasts longer and can be used as an effective weed control.
Advertisement:
How Is Mulch Made?
Organic mulch is usually made by shredding or chipping natural plant materials. The most commonly used mulch is made of wood and is being created by grinding tree bark or logs. Compost mulch is made by decomposing organic waste like food scraps and yard trimmings.
Mulch can be used in your garden and for landscaping like flower beds, vegetable gardens or pathways – has a decorative purpose and also helps reduce plant growth.
How Much Mulch Do You Need?
To calculate how much mulch you need, you can use this simple formula:
Area (in square feet) × Depth (in inches) ÷ 12 = Cubic Feet of Mulch
or you can use this Mulch Quantity Table for mulch depth of 3 in:
| Area (sq ft) | Mulch Depth (in) | Mulch Needed (cu ft) |
| 50 | 3 | 12.50 |
| 100 | 3 | 25.00 |
| 150 | 3 | 37.50 |
| 200 | 3 | 50.00 |
| 250 | 3 | 62.50 |
| 300 | 3 | 75.00 |
| 350 | 3 | 87.50 |
| 400 | 3 | 100.00 |
| 450 | 3 | 112.50 |
| 500 | 3 | 125.00 |
| 550 | 3 | 137.50 |
| 600 | 3 | 150.00 |
| 650 | 3 | 162.50 |
| 700 | 3 | 175.00 |
| 750 | 3 | 187.50 |
| 800 | 3 | 200.00 |
| 850 | 3 | 212.50 |
| 900 | 3 | 225.00 |
| 950 | 3 | 237.50 |
| 1000 | 3 | 250.00 |
Advertisement:
Whereto buy mulch in the Spring? You’ll find mulch at all home improvement stores, and also at most general stores like Costco or Walmart. The best mulch offers are available during Lowe’s Spring Sale or SpringFest Sale, but you can also shop at Home Depot for mulch, and get great specials.