Mulch Isn’t Just About Good Looks
There’s more to mulch than just making things look neat and tidy. It also serves several purposes, including water retention, weed suppression, temperature control, and restoring some nutrients to the soil as it breaks down.
How To Estimate How Much Mulch You Need
Mulch is quantified in volume, so it’s important to understand the equations. First, for new beds, aim to add about 3 inches of mulch. For existing beds, aim to add 1 inch.
- If the area is 10’x10’, and you’re adding 3 inches of mulch, the equation looks like this:
- Length x Width x Depth = Cubic Feet
- (To get 3 inches in feet= 3”/12”= 0.25’ )
- 10’ x 10’ x 0.25’ = 25 cubic feet
But, nurseries don’t sell mulch in cubic feet, they sell it in cubic yards. So, to find how many cubic yards you need, take your cubic feet and divide it by 27:
- Cubic Feet / 27 = Cubic Yards
- 25 / 27 = 0.926 cu. yd.
Types of Mulch Options
There are several types of mulch available:
- Gravel is great for high-traffic areas or areas where erosion can be an issue. The stones will absorb heat so it’s important to use them around drought-tolerant plants.
- Rubber mulch is nice for playgrounds and playsets, but it doesn’t restore nutrients to the soil.
- Dyed mulches come in a wide variety of colors and they’re great for dressing up garden beds and walkways. They’re not the most organic option, however, due to the dye.
- Organic mulches like hemlock, leaf litter, pine bark, and buckwheat hulls are excellent options because they have distinct colors without the dyes and break down over time to restore nutrients to the soil.
Resources
- Organic: Most organic mulch options can be sourced at a local nursery
- Leaf mulch: Ground organic leaves. High in nutrition.
- Hemlock mulch
- Pine bark
- Buckwheat hulls: More formal gardens or decorative applications
- Gravel: Commercial or industrial
- Inorganic: Color preference, water retention, and weed suppression
- Brown mulch
- Black mulch
- Red mulch
- Rubber mulch: Playground application or high traffic area
