Mulch for a Garden Bed
For garden and flower beds, spread mulch 2–3 inches deep — enough to hold moisture and block weeds without smothering roots. Enter your bed size below for the cubic yards, bag count, and cost estimate.
Source: Home Depot / Lowe's bag listings + regional bulk landscape supplier averages
Estimate mulch for your garden bed
Prefilled for a 20 × 10 ft garden bed at 3" — adjust to your size.
Material only, $30–$50 per cubic yard. Delivery and labor not included. Estimates only — not engineering advice.
Tips for garden beds
- Keep mulch a few inches away from plant stems and tree trunks to prevent rot.
- 3 inches suppresses weeds well; going deeper wastes material and can starve roots of air.
- For irregular beds, break the area into rectangles, calculate each, and add them up.
Mulch cost breakdown
- Bulk mulch (per cubic yard)
- $30–$50 per yard for standard hardwood; dyed, cedar, and premium bark run higher.
- Bagged mulch (2 cu ft)
- $3–$8 per bag. Bags cost more per cubic yard but avoid delivery — better only for small beds.
- Delivery
- $40–$100 per load for bulk, often with a multi-yard minimum.
- Spreading (optional)
- $20–$45 per cubic yard if you hire out spreading.
Frequently asked questions
How much mulch for a 20x10 flower bed?
A 20 ft × 10 ft bed at 3 inches deep needs about 1.9 cubic yards of mulch, or roughly 27 bags of 2 cu ft each.
How much mulch do I need for a garden bed?
Measure the bed's length and width, pick a depth of 2–3 inches, then use the calculator. A 20 ft × 10 ft bed at 3 inches deep needs about 1.9 cubic yards, or roughly 27 bags of 2 cu ft mulch.
How many bags of mulch are in a cubic yard?
About 13–14 bags of 2 cubic foot mulch make one cubic yard (27 ÷ 2). Bulk delivery is cheaper once you pass that.
How much does a yard of mulch cost?
Bulk mulch runs about $30–$50 per cubic yard for standard hardwood, plus $40–$100 delivery. Dyed and premium bark mulches cost more.
How deep should mulch be?
2–3 inches is ideal for beds and around plants. One cubic yard covers about 108 square feet at 3 inches, or 162 square feet at 2 inches.