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A light layer of mulch can help protect a tree, retain moisture, and keep the soil healthy. However, it’s important to avoid over-mulching or piling the mulch up around the trunk of a tree, a practice notoriously called “volcano mulching.” That piled mulch can increase the chances of rot and disease on the tree trunk as well as overwhelming the soil, which needs access to a certain amount of air. Topped trees have it hard enough: mulch sparingly while they heal.

When you purchase mulch for delivery, it’s usually by the cubic yard, so you’ll want to convert your space to cubic yards to get the right amount. First, determine the square footage of the area you want to cover, and then determine how deep the bed of mulch will be—a good rule of thumb is around three inches. Multiply your square footage in feet by the depth in inches and divide by 324. You may want to add a ½ to one additional cubic yard to ensure you have enough.

There are two main times of the year to spread mulch—mid-spring and late fall. Spring mulching protects new seedlings as the soil warms up and the rainy season begins. Fall mulching insulates the soil and regulates its temperature as the first frosts arrive.

Yes, you can put soil on top of existing grass to level small areas. This is helpful for filling in small divots or leveling out minor dips in your yard that collect rainwater. However, this isn’t a good option if you need to regrade your entire lawn. It’s better to have a professional excavate some of the dirt first so that the level of the lawn doesn’t rise too high.