The Best Mulch in Town

If you are having trouble figuring out how much mulch you will need, call the friendly associates at Elliott's Garden Center for help. The following calculations are approximate, and can be made less accurate by several variables.

Step One:

To calculate how much mulch you will need for you landscape you will first need to find the total amount of square feet that needs covered.

Rectangular areas are measured by multiplying the length times the width. 

(Example) Length 4' x  Width 5' = 20 square feet.

Circles are measured by multiplying the radius (half the diameter) by itself, and multiplying that by pi (3.14). 

(Example) Radius 3' x 3' = 9 square feet x 3.14 = 28.26 square feet.

Triangles are measured by multiplying the length times the width then dividing that product in half. 

(Example) Length 4' x Width 5' = 20 square feet x .5 = 10 square feet

Step Two:

Next, you will need to select the depth that you would like the mulch to be installed at. Too much mulch can suffocate plants in your landscape, but not enough can make your landscape more prone to weeds.  Roughly 2-2.5" is the recommended depth for mulch, but you may want more for a playground. Divide the total sqaure feet by 100 (approx) to calculate total yards.

(Example) Area 600 sqaure feet at 2" deep

600 / 100 (approx) = 6 cubic yards

1. Fertilize – We recommend applying a balanced fertilizer such as 12-12-12 to your plants and trees prior to spreading new mulch. The application of mulch causes nitrogen to leech from the soil. Applying fertilizer will restore this vital nutrient.

2. Aerate – It is best to aerate your existing mulch. Your old mulch may have “knitted” together creating a crested layer that causes water to run off instead of penetrating the mulch, reducing the amount of water received by plant roots and restricts fertilizer and nutrients from penetrating the soil. This is especially important through the summer months. 

3. Recommend Depth – Maintain the total depth of mulch at 3 inches. Do not mound mulch around the trunks of trees and bushes. This will only create an atmosphere conducive to diseases. 

4. Warm Mulch – Be careful. Do not spread warm mulch around plants. Let the mulch cool. Work from the outer edge of the pile. Annual and perennials should be surrounded with three inches of organic humus or peat moss to prevent browning.

5. Colored Mulch & Staining – To reduce the risk of staining your driveway, our drivers will spread plastic on concrete driveways before dumping colored mulch for a small charge. Do not leave colored mulch on concrete areas for any length of time due to possible staining.

6. Colored Mulch – To maintain the vibrant color of your mulch throughout the season, cover it if precipitation is forecasted. Spread colored mulch when it will dry for 48 hours without rainfall. If rain occurs within 24-48 hours, you may use a spring tine rake to fluff the mulch. We do not recommend apply colored mulch around ponds or swimming pools.