Mulch is best purchased by the yard for big projects.
Mulch slows evaporation, adds nutrients to soil, and controls soil temperature.
A yard of mulch costs between $50 and $100, with an average cost of $75.
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Learn how much a yard of mulch is for your next gardening or landscaping project.
Meet the Expert
Kelsey Rossis the owner of Austin-basedGarden Party Landscape Design.
The cost is about the same in either format.
What Is a Yard?
“Yard” means cubic yard.
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Bulk Mulch Cost
A yard of mulch costs about $75 in bulk.
Bulk mulch is loose mulch delivered by a truck and dropped in a pile in your yard.
Bagged Mulch Cost
A yard of mulch costs from $50 to $100 in bagged form.
Mulch comes in bags of 2 cubic feet or 1.5 cubic feet.
Then, multiply that figure by the depth coverage, usually 2 or 3 inches.
Pine Needles
Pine needle or pine straw mulch costs about $150 per yard.
Four bales of straw equal a yard of mulch.
Rubber Mulch
Rubber mulchis recycled from old tires.
As an inorganic mulch, it lasts long without fading or breaking down.
Rubber mulch costs around $250 per yard and is typically found in 0.8 cubic foot bags.
Bulk Mulch Delivery
The average cost of bulk mulch delivery is about $100.
Bagged mulch can be professionally delivered or you’ve got the option to pick it up yourself.
A mid-size SUV or truck can accommodate a yard of mulch.
Depending on the material, a yard of organic mulch can weigh 900 to 1,200 pounds.
Yard Regrading
Regrading a yardcosts an average of $2,600.
Regrading a yard may be necessary to level out slopes.
Lightweight mulch like wood chips or straw can get washed away on slopes.
On average, landscaping costs $11 per square foot.
After that, you’ve got the option to choose mulch texture and mulch color.
Organic vs. Inorganic Mulch
Organic mulch is made from living matter.
It breaks down and nourishes the soil.
It also suppresses weeds and beautifies the yard.
Hardwood chips, pine straw, wheat straw, and leaves aretypes of organic mulch.
Inorganic mulch is made from nonliving matter like rubber, rocks, and plastic.
It is decorative and long-lasting since it breaks down at a far slower rate than organic mulch.
It suppresses weeds and keeps the soil moist, but it does not enrich the soil.
“For quicker nutrient release, look for a double-grind mulch, or one premixed with compost.”
Mulch Color
Choose anatural or a colored mulch.
A natural mulch is the color of the material itself.
DIY vs. Professional Mulch Costs
DIY mulch costs about $175 per 100 square feet.
Professionally-distributed mulch costs about $215 to $235 per 100 square feet.
Because most mulch is lightweight and easy to handle, homeowners can easily distribute it throughout the yard.
Commercially produced mulch is on sale at nurseries, garden centers, and home centers in early spring.
In late fall, free mulch from municipal recycling departments is available.
By that time, fall leaves and limbs have been picked up and processed into mulch.
Sources of Low-Cost or Free Mulch
Several sources of mulch are inexpensive or even free.
“We recommend to our clients that they dont need to use store-bought mulch,” says Tate.
Arborists and landscaping companies produce wood chips from tree trimming, stump grinding, and yard pickup.
By the end of the day, they need a place to dump the chips.
Arrange for a free or nominal-cost drop with a local company.
ChipDrop matches homeownerswho need wood mulch with arborists who need to get rid of wood chips.
Drops can be as large as 20 cubic yards.
The service, materials, and delivery are free for homeowners.
You will need to go to a recycling facility to pick up the mulch yourself.
Mulched Leaves
Fallen leaves are a good source of low-cost mulch but they must be shredded.
Run a lawn mower over the leaves or run them through a leaf mulcher.
Thebest leaf mulchersfor producing yard mulch are standalone units as they have the most power.
With these units, you’ll need torake the leaves into a pilefirst.
Paper
Shredded newspapers and grocery bags provide low-cost mulch.
Plus, they’re good in a pinch when conventional mulch is unable to be picked up.
you might even lay out full sheets of newspaper or cut open grocery bags and wet them.
Just check that that the paper is uncoated.
Grass Clippings
Bag your mowed grass and pile it up for distribution later in garden beds.
Spread the clippings thinly.
Avoid weeds when mowing as they may create new weeds in your mulch beds.
Break up bales of straw or hay and use it as mulch around your yard.
Ten cubic yards of mulch costs about $750.
Mulch costs about $75 per yard on average, whether in bulk or bagged form.
How Much Is Mulch Delivery and Installation?Forbes Home.
Mulch Masters of NC, Inc.
How much does it cost to put down mulch?Fixr.
Austin Wholesale Landscape Supply
Bulk Mulch.
How Much Does Mulch Delivery & Installation Cost?Angi.
How Much Does It Cost to Mulch?HomeAdvisor.
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Washington State University Extension.
37-3011 Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
