Lawn and garden: mulch, soil, sod, seed and beds

Bulk garden materials are sold by the cubic yard and bags by the cubic foot, which is why people buy the wrong amount. 200 square feet of beds mulched 3 inches deep takes 1.85 cubic yards, or 25 bags of 2 cubic feet. Lawns are the other big job: 1,000 square feet of sod is 1,050 square feet to order with 5% extra.

This page brings together our calculators and guides for beds, soil, mulch, lawns and planting, from a single raised bed to a whole new lawn.

Mulch and soil by area and depth

Cubic yards worked out by the mulch calculator; the same volume applies to topsoil or compost at the same depth.

Mulch, topsoil and rock

Two to three inches of mulch suppresses weeds without smothering roots; topsoil for leveling or a new bed is usually spread 4 to 6 inches. Landscape rock is ordered by the ton, so the rock calculator converts the volume to weight.

Raised beds and containers

An 8 x 4 ft bed 12 inches deep holds 35.2 cubic feet of soil with 10% extra for settling, 1.30 cubic yards. The materials calculator adds the lumber and screws; the planter calculator handles pots and containers.

A new lawn: sod or seed

Sod gives an instant lawn and costs more; seed is cheap and slow. Either way the ground needs preparing with topsoil first. The new lawn calculator lists everything for either route.

Feeding and watering

Fertilizer rates are given in pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet, and the calculator turns that into pounds of product from the numbers on the bag. Most lawns need about an inch of water a week, and the watering calculator converts that into minutes for your sprinkler.

Every calculator for this topic

Guides

• Common Mistakes When Spreading Mulch (How Deep and How Much)Mulch too deep, too little, or piled on the trunk. A 20 × 10 ft bed at 3 in needs 1.85 cu yd, or 25 bags of 2 cu ft. See the depth chart.
• How Many Plants Do I Need? Plant Spacing Chart per 100 Square FeetAt 12 inch spacing a 100 sq ft bed takes 100 plants in a grid and 116 staggered. A spacing chart for beds, ground covers and shrubs.
• How Much Grass Seed Do I Need? Pounds per 1,000 Sq Ft by TypeA new tall fescue lawn takes 8 pounds of seed per 1,000 sq ft, so 40 pounds for 5,000 sq ft. Seeding rates for each grass, new lawns and overseeding, and bags.
• How Much Lawn Fertilizer Do I Need? Pounds and Bags by Lawn SizeTo put 1 pound of nitrogen on 5,000 sq ft with a 28% nitrogen fertilizer you need 17.9 pounds, about 2 bags of 15 pounds. Charts by lawn size and nitrogen.
• How Much Sod Do I Need? Rolls, Pallets and Square Feet1,000 sq ft of lawn needs 1,050 sq ft of sod with 5% extra, which is 105 rolls of 10 sq ft or 2.3 pallets. A chart of rolls and pallets by lawn size.
• How Much Topsoil Do I Need? Cubic Yards, Bags and Coverage Chart1,000 sq ft at 4 inches deep needs 13.6 cubic yards of topsoil with 10% extra, about 15 tons. Coverage charts by area and depth, and for bags.
• Mulch vs Gravel vs Rock for Garden Beds: Which to UseCompare wood mulch, pea gravel and decorative rock for a flower bed: how much each needs for a 20 x 10 ft bed, upkeep and where each belongs.
• How Much Landscape Rock Do I Need? Yards, Tons and BagsHow much river rock, lava rock or decorative stone for a bed? Cubic yards, tons and bags by area and depth, with coverage per yard and installation tips.
• How Long Should You Water Your Lawn? Minutes, Gallons and the Can TestHow long to run the sprinkler for 1 inch of water a week: minutes by sprinkler type, gallons by lawn size, the tuna-can test, and when and how often to water.
• New Lawn Materials List: Sod or Seed, Topsoil, Fertilizer, WaterWhat to buy to put in a 5,000 ft² lawn: sod rolls or grass seed, topsoil, starter fertilizer and the water it takes, with quantities and a size chart.
• Raised Garden Bed Materials List: Soil, Lumber and IrrigationWhat to buy for two 4×8 ft raised beds 12 inches deep: soil by the yard or bag, lumber, corner hardware, path mulch and drip irrigation, with a size chart.
• How Much Mulch Do I Need? Coverage Chart, Bags vs BulkMulch coverage per cubic yard, how many 2 and 3 cubic foot bags make a yard, the right depth for beds, and when bulk beats bags.
• How Much Soil Do I Need for a Raised Garden Bed?Work out how much soil fills a raised bed of any size, with a chart for common beds at 6, 12 and 18 inches deep, mix recipes and tips to save money.
• Sod vs Grass Seed: Cost, Timing and Which to ChooseCompare sod and grass seed on cost, time, effort and results, with how much of each you need for 1,000 square feet and the best time of year to plant.

Other guides that use these calculators: How Many Sprinkler Heads Do I Need? Heads, Zones and Run Time · How to Calculate Cubic Yards: Formula, Chart and Examples · Square Feet to Square Yards and Square Meters: Conversion Chart · How Many Tons in a Cubic Yard? Topsoil, Gravel, Sand, Mulch · How Many Square Feet in an Acre? Lot Size Chart and Conversions · How Much Dirt Will I Dig? Cubic Yards, Swell, Tons and Truck Loads · Garden Path Materials List: Pavers, Gravel or Mulch · Sprayer Mixing Chart: Ounces of Concentrate Per Gallon and Tank

Answers for common sizes

Already know the size? These pages give the worked answer for one common size each, with the inputs filled in so you can adjust them.

Project planners

Planning the whole job rather than one material? These step-by-step planners put the calculators above in the order you will need them.

Frequently asked questions

Related topics

Estimates only. Quantities depend on your materials, site and supplier, so check coverage and sizes on the label. Follow local building codes for anything structural. How we calculate.