Mulching for Weed Control

Weeds are a major problem in most vegetable and flower gardens.  One control method is to use organic mulches to prevent weeds from growing next to our desirable plants.  Here is a list of organic mulch materials that can be used in either vegetable or flower gardens with the recommended thickness.

¨ Bark Mulch, 3-4 in.

¨ Cocoa Hulls, 1 in. (toxic to dogs attracted to the chocolate aroma)

¨ Compost, 1-3 in. (best for vegetable or flower gardens)

¨Leaves, 4-6 in.

¨ Peat moss, 1 in.

¨ Pine needles, 1-1 1/2 in.

¨ Straw, 6-8 in. (best for vegetable gardens)

¨ Wood chips, 2-4 in.

Once you have decided which mulch you are going to use, you need to determine how much mulch you need to get.  To calculate the amount of mulch needed, you first have to calculate the surface area and the desired depth of coverage. There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard. One cubic yard will cover a 324-square-foot area with an inch of mulch.

To figure out the square footage of your bed multiply the width times the length for square or rectangular shaped beds. The square footage of a circular bed is the distance from the middle of the circle to the outside (radius), multiplied by itself and then multiplied by 3.14 (which is pi).

Multiply your square footage by the depth desired (in inches) and divide by 324 square feet. This will tell you how many cubic yards you will need. Or you can go online to http://www.ccenassau.org/hort/html/calculator_soil_amend.html and type in the dimensions of your garden and the thickness of the mulch and it will calculate the amount of mulch you need.

Source: Kluepfel, M. & B. Polomski. Revised by J. Williamson. Revised by J. Scott. Mulch, HGIC 1604, Clemson Extension, (New 04/99. Rev. 05/08.)  http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1604.htm and

Calculator to Determine the Amount of Mulch or Soil Amendments to Add to Garden Beds Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County, 2004, http://www.ccenassau.org/hort/html/calculator_soil_amend.html

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