Get matched with top mulch and topsoil pros in Coalport, PA

Mid to late spring is the best time of year to mulch. If you do it too early in the spring, the mulch could slow down the warming process of the soil and affect how well plants grow. By mid to late spring the temperatures are usually steadying, making it an ideal time to spread mulch.

A 40-pound bag of topsoil covers 0.76 cubic feet, enough for 4.5 square feet with a 2-inch depth or 36 square feet with a .25-inch depth, such as topdressing a standard garden bed. If you want 2 inches of fresh topsoil for your 36-square-foot garden bed, you’ll need eight 40-pound bags.

Topsoil should go down first. If the topsoil is next to your house, make sure the grade slopes away from the house to keep water from pooling against your foundation and possibly leaking into your basement or crawl space. Don’t cover your decorative landscape mulch with topsoil as that defeats the purpose of laying down the mulch. If you’re trying to create a certain soil composition to improve plant growth, you’ll likely want compost mixed into the topsoil instead of mulch. Over time, any decorative wood mulch will simply decompose under the topsoil.

Yes, a cubic yard of dirt will fit in most standard-size pickup trucks. However, consider the truck’s payload as well as the truck bed dimensions before loading it up with dirt. Soil can be quite heavy, and if the total weight of a yard of dirt exceeds your truck’s payload capacity, you risk damaging the chassis and suspension.