Add up to three flower beds (or enter total square feet), pick a depth, and see exactly how many cubic yards or bags of mulch to buy — plus whether bulk or bagged is cheaper.
Yards, bags & cost compare
Tip: 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet and covers about 108 sq ft at a 3″ depth.
Add up to three beds at once — the calculator totals the area so you make one trip to the garden center, not three.
Get the count in both 2 cu ft and 3 cu ft bags plus cubic yards, so any store’s packaging or a bulk delivery quote works.
Bagged mulch often costs 2–3× more per cubic foot than bulk — the comparison shows your actual savings.
The rule of thumb: 1 cubic yard of mulch covers 108 square feet at 3 inches deep (27 cu ft × 12 ÷ 3). The formula this calculator uses is square feet × depth in inches ÷ 324 = cubic yards. So a typical 10 × 4 ft flower bed at 3″ needs 40 × 3 ÷ 324 = 0.37 yd³ — exactly five 2 cu ft bags.
Depth matters for weed control. University extension services consistently recommend 2–4 inches: less than 2″ lets sunlight through and weeds germinate; more than 4″ can suffocate roots and hold too much moisture against stems. Keep mulch a couple of inches away from tree trunks and wooden siding — the “mulch volcano” piled against a trunk invites rot and pests. A 2″ top-up each spring is usually enough once a bed is established.
| Bag / unit | Volume | Coverage at 3″ | Typical 2026 price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bagged mulch (small) | 2 cu ft | 8 sq ft | $3–$6 per bag |
| Bagged mulch (large) | 3 cu ft | 12 sq ft | $5–$9 per bag |
| Bulk delivery | 1 cu yd (27 cu ft) | 108 sq ft | $30–$60 per yard + delivery |
Run the price math before you buy: at $4 per 2 cu ft bag, a cubic yard costs 13.5 bags × $4 = $54 bagged versus $30–$45 in bulk. For one small bed, bags win on convenience; for 2+ yards, bulk delivery usually saves real money even after a $25–$75 delivery fee — and many US suppliers waive it above 3–5 yards. Spring sales (often 4–5 bags for $10) can flip the math back to bags, which is why the calculator compares both with your actual local prices.