Landscape Management Practices Mulching

Mulch (A tree’s best friend)  Insulates soil  Retains moisture  Keeps weeds out  Prevents soil compaction  Reduces lawn mower / weed eater damage  Adds an aesthetic touch

Types of Mulch  Bark  Pine Straw  Grass Clippings  Leaves  Rock  Synthetic Materials

Ground Cloth under Mulch ???

Mulch  Max depth of 2-4”  Do not touch the trunk  Mulch too deep can lead to trunk & crown rot poor root ball aeration

Calculating Mulching Needs  Use the formula for Volume: Side X Side X Height (Length X Width X Depth) Remember to get all your measurements the same ( inches or feet) Answers will be cubed!!  Examples: Flower bed is 10 feet by 4 feet. Existing Bed so lay mulch 2 inches thick. Answer: 10ft X 4ft X.167ft = 6.68 cubic feet

More Practice 1. New Bed: 15 feet by 10 feet 2. New Bed: 8 feet by 5 feet 3. Existing Bed: 3 feet by 4 feet 4. Existing Bed: 6’6” by 2’ 5. Circular Existing bed: Diameter of the circle is 14 (HINT: Use the volume of a cylinder formula)

Practice Answers 1. 15’ X 10’ X.33’ (4 inches)= 49.5 cubic feet 2. 8’ x 5’ x.33’ (4 inches) = 13.2 cubic feet 3. 3’ by 4’ x.167’ (2 inches) = cubic feet 4. 6’6” x 2’ x.167 (2 inches) = cubic feet x 7 2 x.167 (2 inches) = cubic feet

One more thing…  Most mulch for landscaping is sold in bulk. Bulk loads are generally measured by the yard.  To convert cubic feet to cubic yards, divide your answer by 27.  Why? 3 feet = 1 yard 3 ft by 3 ft by 3ft = 27 cubic feet or 1 cubic yard

Convert your practice answers to yards cubic feet / 27 = 1.8 cubic yards cubic feet / 27 =.48 cubic yards cubic feet / 27 =.075 cubic yards cubic feet / 27 =.08 cubic yards cubic feet / 27 =.95 cubic yards