Mulch delivery cost

Bulk mulch costs $30 to $55 a cubic yard delivered, typically around $40. Supplied and spread, it is $60 to $130 a cubic yard. Refreshing 800 square feet of beds at 3 inches takes about 7.5 cubic yards, so roughly $300 dropped on the driveway or $675 spread at typical prices.

The sum that matters is depth times area. Almost everyone either orders by guesswork and runs short, or buys bags for a job that needed a truck.

What it costs

How many yards you need

One cubic yard covers 324 square feet at 1 inch deep. So:

• At 2 inches, one yard covers about 160 square feet
• At 3 inches, one yard covers about 110 square feet
• At 4 inches, one yard covers about 80 square feet

Measure each bed, add up the square feet, divide by 160 for a top-up at 2 inches or by 110 for a new bed at 3 inches, and round up. A yard with 500 square feet of beds needs about 3 yards for an annual refresh and about 5 for a new installation.

Two to three inches is right. Less and weeds come through. More than 4 inches starves roots of air and keeps the soil too wet. If last year's mulch is still 2 inches deep, rake it to loosen it and top up an inch rather than adding another three.

Keep it 3 to 6 inches back from tree trunks and shrub stems.

Bagged or bulk

A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, which is 13.5 two-cubic-foot bags. At $3 to $6 a bag, that is $40 to $80 a yard, against $30 to $55 in bulk.

Bags win under about 2 yards, where a delivery charge of $30 to $100 wipes out the saving, and where the beds are behind the house and a wheelbarrow of loose mulch would have to cross the lawn anyway.

Bulk wins from about 3 yards up. It is cheaper, there is no plastic to dispose of, and the quality is often better. The cost is a pile on the driveway that must be moved within a few days before it stains concrete. Put a tarp down first.

Many suppliers deliver free above a minimum, commonly 5 to 10 yards. It can be cheaper to order 5 yards and top up the whole yard than to pay a delivery charge on 3.

Installed price, and what is included

Spreading by hand is slow work. A crew moves 1 to 2 yards an hour depending on distance from the pile, which is why supplied-and-spread pricing roughly doubles the material cost.

A proper mulching visit also includes:

• Weeding the beds before mulching, not burying the weeds
• Re-cutting the bed edges so the mulch has a line to sit behind
• Raking back old mulch from stems and trunks
• Blowing the paths and driveway clean afterwards

Blown-in mulch, sprayed from a truck through a hose, suits large or awkward areas and costs about the same as hand-spreading on big jobs. On a small yard the set-up charge makes it poor value.

Mulching is often folded into a spring clean-up. See lawn care for what an annual contract covers, and garden beds if the beds themselves need rebuilding.

Rubber, stone and the alternatives

Rubber mulch costs several times as much, lasts ten years or more, and does not feed the soil. It suits play areas, where its cushioning matters. In planting beds it gets hot, does not decompose, and is miserable to remove when you change your mind.

Stone and river rock cost $50 to $200 a yard and weigh far more, so delivery is priced by the ton. Stone does not decompose and does not need topping up, but leaves collect in it, weeds seed into the dust that settles between the stones, and it heats the soil. It belongs in arid gardens and drainage areas, and is covered in xeriscaping.

Free wood chips from tree services are rough, variable and excellent for paths and around trees. Let fresh chips age a few months before using them against small plants.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a yard of mulch weigh?

Around 400 to 800 pounds, depending on moisture. A half-ton pickup can usually carry 1 to 2 yards, which is why collecting it yourself from the yard is a real option for small orders.

Does dyed mulch harm plants?

The dyes used by reputable producers are iron oxide or carbon based and are considered safe. The concern is the wood underneath: cheap dyed mulch is sometimes made from recycled pallets. Buy from a supplier who will tell you the source.

How often should mulch be replaced?

Shredded hardwood breaks down in about a year, bark nuggets in two or three. Top up by an inch or so annually rather than adding a full depth each spring, which builds up over time into the mulch that smothers roots.

Can a supplier dump mulch on a lawn?

They can, and it kills the grass under the pile within a few days in warm weather. A driveway on a tarp is better. Ask about access before delivery: a full truck is heavy, and drivers generally will not back over curbs, septic fields or soft ground.

Is pine straw cheaper than wood mulch?

In the Southeast, often yes, sold by the bale at $5 to $9 and covering 40 to 50 square feet each. It is lighter to spread, stays on slopes and breaks down in about a year. It is hard to find elsewhere.