Get matched with top mulch and topsoil pros in Castle Dale, UT

The right depth depends on your intended use for the area. For instance, pea gravel for walkways and patios typically only needs to be about 2 to 3 inches deep. However, driveways and other areas with heavier loads may require 4 to 6 inches for better stability.

The number of bags of topsoil you need depends on the depth you’re filling. The average topsoil is sold in a roughly forty-pound bag, covering 12 square feet at a one-inch depth. Since topsoil is by nature the uppermost layer of soil, you can bet on only needing to fill about 4 to 8 inches of soil depth with it.

How tall your mulch should be around your tree depends on the type of mulch you use, but aim for 3 to 4 inches as a rule of thumb. You’ll want to avoid simply piling it up in hopes of offering additional benefits to your tree. Volcano mulching is the infamous term for piling way too much mulch against the stem of your tree. This could actually kill your tree or severely harm it, as your tree trunk needs space to breathe without too much moisture.

While you don’t need to put anything down before mulch, you can apply a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent weed growth. As long as you remove weeds before you spread mulch, you should be in the clear. But a herbicide is something that you can put down before mulch as an extra layer of protection.