To mulch or not mulch:  When I worked in the garden centre, folks were purchasing mulch in all forms and colors.

Mulching your garden beds is very beneficial.  First, we mulch to keep weeds out or down to a minimum. Secondly, we mulch for aesthetics. Thirdly, mulching helps to keep moisture in and around the roots of our plants. Lastly,   mulching helps to keep the soil temperatures even around those plant roots so they stay cool enough to survive and not dry out.


Mulching should be kept to a maximum of 2-3 inches around the plant and in your garden beds. When mulching, it is a good idea to keep an area of about 3-4 inches clear around the trunk of the plant. I cringe when I see the 'small volcanoes' that many 'landscapers' put around their plantings. You have probably seen this done especially around trees in commercial plantings. Building the mulch up that high around the stem or trunk of the plant leads to problems. First, any water that is applied has a tendency to runoff and absorb into the mulch pile instead of the roots where it is needed. Secondly, there is a lack of air circulation around the base of the plant which can be detrimental to the health of the plant. Thirdly, high mulch helps to create a cozy haven for varmints and insects. I don't recommend using mulch in that fashion.


When mulching, NEVER use black plastic as a barrier fabric. If you must, use the weed fabric sold in most garden centres.  It is porous and will allow for moisture and air to circulate around it.  I prefer to use the weed fabric only when using stone or non-organic mulches and that is only to keep the dirt off the stone when it rains and splashes up onto it.  The organic mulches decompose within three years and somewhat enrich the soil.  Organic mulches come in a variety of colours and types. There are shredded bark mulches, nugget sized bark mulches, and cocoa shells.  So what ever mulch you choose, please apply it wisely.


Here are some helpful measurements to guide you in your purchase of soils, compost, or mulch.

1 cubic yard of soil, compost, or mulch will cover:

• 320 sq. ft. to 1" depth
• 160 sq.  ft. to 2" depth
• 110 sq.  ft. to 3" depth
• 80 sq.  ft. to 4" depth

A ton (2,000lbs.) of 1/4 -3/4" diameter rock spread 2" deep will cover 110-120 sq.  ft.

A ton (2,000lbs.) of sand or pea gravel spread 2" deep will cover 110-120 sq. ft.

There are 27 sq. feet to a cubic yard.  So, if you are purchasing 3 sq. ft. bags of mulch, you will need 9 bags to make one cubic yard.

(9x3sq.ft. = 27sq.ft or 1 cu.  yd.

Happy Gardening!