Mulch not only enhances the look of your garden, it also plays a crucial role in retaining soil moisture, regulating temperature, and suppressing weeds. Determining the right amount of mulch for your garden is crucial; too little won't cover the area effectively, while too much could waste your resources and even harm your plants. Here’s how to figure out just how much mulch you need for your garden:

1. Measure your garden bed: Find the width and length in feet (or meters). If your garden bed has an irregular shape, consider breaking it down into smaller, regular shapes (like squares and rectangles), and measuring these individually.
2. Determine the mulch depth: The depth of the mulch layer depends on the material and your garden's needs. A depth of 2 to 3 inches is recommended for most organic mulches to prevent weed growth and retain moisture without suffocating your plants. For inorganic mulches, a depth of 2 to 4 inches is recommended, depending on the size of the gravel or material used (finer mulches can be applied more thinly than larger, chunkier types).
3. Enter the length, width, and depth into the calculator (after selecting imperial or metric measurement) and click “calculate.”

It's a good idea to purchase a little more mulch than you calculated. This accounts for any settling or compaction of the mulch over time, as well as any variations in depth as you spread it across your garden and planting beds.

See more on adding mulch to your garden: Types of Mulch