Get matched with top mulch and topsoil pros in Cottonwood Falls, KS

Yes, you need to use landscape fabric under your rubber mulch. Rubber mulch doesn’t decompose, so putting landscape fabric down can work as a barrier between your mulch and soil, preventing your mulch from mixing with your soil and leaching chemicals like aluminum, cadmium, and copper into it. Also, since weeds can occasionally get through rubber mulch, using landscape fabric as a second form of protection can increase its effectiveness. 

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.

Buying topsoil in bulk or a bag depends on how much area you’re trying to cover. Even if it goes on sale, bagged topsoil isn’t as cheap as buying it in bulk, but transporting bulk topsoil can become cumbersome if you don’t have the proper truck. If you can find an easy delivery option and have the space to store a large amount of topsoil, buying in bulk will give you more bang for your buck.

Each bag of mulch includes 2 cubic feet of mulch. And since a cubic yard is about 27 cubic feet of materials, you'll need 14 bags of mulch to have enough to cover a cubic yard. The right amount of mulch for your yard, however, depends on the depth of the mulch, the type of mulch you choose, and your desired look.