How To Calculate Mulch
The first thing to do is figure out the area (in feet) of the space that needs mulch. The most common shapes are rectangles, triangles and circles.
- Rectangle: A = L x W (L=length, W=width)
- Triangle: A = ½ x B x H (B=base, H=height)
- Circle: A = πR² (or 3.14 x R²) (R=radius)
The second thing to do is multiply the Area (that you just calculated) by the Depth you want (in inches). So if you need 2 inches of mulch, multiply the area by 2. If you want 3 inches of mulch, times it by 3.
The third thing to do is divide by 324. This will tell you how many cubic yards of mulch you need for you garden!
Let’s take a look at this with real numbers for a 17 x 20 rectangular flower bed needing 2 inches of mulch.
17 x 20 = 340
340 x 2 = 680
680 ÷ 324 = 2 cubic yards (rounded down from 2.09)
For a handy FREE cheat sheet of equations => CLICK HERE
One thing to keep in mind is that this will give you full coverage for the entire space. If you have an empty bed, this will get you exactly what you need. If you have plants in your bed, they will take some of the space we’ve just accounted for. Since we don’t know how much space your plants take (unless you determine their area!), you may want to keep this in mind and buy a little less mulch for your beds.
But what if I have 3 flower beds? What’s the easiest way to calculate mulch then? Just simply determine the area of all three beds, and then add them together. Then continue the steps as outlined.
But what if I have an oddly shaped flower bed?
Click NEXT to see what to do!
Western Gardens
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