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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.

If you hire a professional landscaper, you could expect to pay between $90 and $660 to install three cubic yards of river rock. (That’s based on the average river rock installation cost of $30 to $220 per cubic yard.) However, the exact price depends on the kind of river rock you choose. Crushed limestone and riprap are some of the more affordable options, while boulders and Arizona river rock are pricier.

There are a few different landscaping projects that can help reduce landscaping costs overall. For one, you can plant everything from seed and watch your yard grow rather than purchasing plants. You can also repurpose old materials from other home projects and do the bulk of your landscaping by yourself instead of hiring a professional to cut down labor costs.