How to Buy Garden Soil, Compost, or Mulch in Bulk

Buying soil in bulk is a great way to get large amounts of garden soil, topsoil, compost, or mulch for big landscaping and gardening projects. Smaller bags from home improvement stores and garden centers are convenient but landscape supply stores offer products in larger quantities for a lower price. Consider that landscaping supply stores may require a minimum quantity of soil, often one cubic yard and you may need it delivered. Here, learn how to buy bulk garden soil and other soils and calculate the needs for your project.

Types of Bulk Landscaping Products

In landscaping, gardening, or any major project involving soil products, there are three major components to consider: soil (three types), compost, and mulch. Each of these soil products has different applications, depending on your project. Landscaping supply stores also offer hardscaping materials like stone and gravel in bulk. First, choose which landscaping material is right for your needs.

Soil

• Topsoil: Topsoil usually refers to the top 2 to 8 inches of ground soil. Topsoil contains some organic matter, minerals, and nutrients, and is the most productive layer of soil because it holds moisture. Topsoil is used to top off your plant beds or mix it with rich, organic material or garden soil.
• Garden soil: This is topsoil that is screened, uniform in size, and includes more organic material. Use garden soil to even out flower and vegetable gardens, and raised beds, amend heavy clay soil, or mix it with topsoil. Garden soil qualities will differ per supplier.
• Potting soil: This soil has many more additives to sustain plant health. Potting soil is usually not mixed in with topsoil or garden soil. It's used as a standalone growing medium for outdoor plants and container plants. It would be cost-prohibitive to broadcast potting soil around a large garden project.

Compost

Compost is decaying plant or animal matter that turns into nutrient-rich soil. Gardeners or landscapers can add compost as a soil amendment to topsoil, garden soil, or potting soil to enrich it with nutrients. It acts as a soil fertilizer, encourages better drainage in clay soils, and allows sandy soil to hold onto nutrients.

Mulch

Mulch can include landscaping coverage like wood chips, shredded yard waste (shredded leaves and grass clippings), straw, and sawdust. Landscaping mulch not only looks polished, but it discourages the spread of weeds and supplies shade to the undergrowth. It covers the soil and helps retain moisture normally lost through evaporation in the summer and provides insulation in the winter.

Gravel and Stone

Gravel and stone can be purchased in different sizes from pea gravel to larger crushed stones. These products are great when you want to hardscape with gravel for a finished look, and they come in a variety of colors to suit different home styles.

Cost of Buying Soil in Bulk

A truckload of topsoil typically costs between $340 and $1,251. Delivery fees may also be added, and the price will vary based on the total amount of soil needed.

Creating quality soil requires time, labor, and expensive equipment. The cost of soil varies by location, quality, and quantity. In general, your cheapest option will be products that are not enriched or screened. A cheap topsoil or garden soil with little to no organic material will be the least expensive option. Soil costs rise depending on how much compost is added, the type of organic material in the compost, and if the soil contains added fertilizer or nutrients.

When it comes to mulch, it depends on the type you get. If you are looking for wood chips, the mulch market follows the lumber world. Woods chips from redwood and cedar would cost more than a pine shaving mulch or straw.

How Many Cubic Yards Do You Need?

What Is A Cubic Yard?

A cubic yard is a measurement of material that is 3 feet long, wide, and tall, and it's often used in bulk soil calculations. One cubic yard of topsoil, compost, or mulch goes a long way in your landscaping. It's equal to 27 cubic feet and covers about 100 square feet of space for 3-inch thick material or about 50 square feet of space for 6-inch thick material.

Calculate Depth of Soil

Calculate How Much You Need 

Bulk soil, compost, and mulch are sold by the cubic yard. Calculate the cubic yards you'll need for different planting depths using the depth of soil calculation chart:

1. Measure the square footage (length x width) of the area that you'll need to cover in soil.
2. Select the depth in inches of coverage that you want.
3. Determine how many square feet/cubic yards are necessary based on the chart.
4. Total the square footage of your garden, and then divide that number by the total square feet/cubic yard number.

Example

Calculate the amount of needed soil for a 25-foot-by-20-foot, or 500-square-foot garden:

1. Your garden has an area of 500 square feet.
2. You want 6 inches of mulch.
3. The corresponding number on the chart for a 6-inch depth is 54.
4. Divide your square footage (500) by 54, which equals 9.26 cubic yards.

In this example, you will need 9.26 cubic yards of soil or mulch to cover a 500-square-foot garden to a depth of 6 inches.

Determining Soil Quality

Always examine the product before you buy it. Soil companies usually sell several blends, such as topsoil, lawn soil (specially blended for grass growth), garden soil, and a compost/soil blend. Some offer custom blends, such as 40 percent compost with 60 percent topsoil. Here's what to look for:

• Garden soil: When assessing the quality of garden soil, look for a dark, crumbly, slightly moist, loosely packed sandy loam. It should consist of less than 15 percent clay soil and at least 5 percent organic matter.
• Topsoil and compost: Topsoil and compost should be similarly textured, and ideally loose and crumbly. It should have an earthy smell but it should not be offensive or overwhelming.

Characteristics of Quality Soil

• Organic content: The soil should be at least 5 percent organic matter and the type of organic matter is important. While yard and leaf waste is a neutral compost, nitrogen-heavy compost like manure can damage some plants.
• Soil texture: Soil should include a mixture of different particle sizes, including sand, clay, silt, and loam. More than 40 percent of clay can create compact soil with drainage problems. More than 70 percent sand can make the water feeding your plant run too fast through the soil.
• Soil pH: Look for topsoil with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5.
• Screening: Quality soil should run through a screening process that eliminates rocks, litter, and clumps of clay.
• Weed-free: Quality soil should be guaranteed to be at least 98 percent weed-free.

Bulk Soil Delivery and Pickup Options

When calculating soil costs, keep in mind these considerations whether you have the soil delivered or pick it up yourself:

• Delivery or pick up: Most companies charge a fixed fee or by the distance and size of the haul. You can also pick up soil if you have the right vehicle and labor to manage the load.
• Where to deliver: Lay a tarp on a driveway or side of your driveway where a truck can unload the delivery and where you can access it with a wheelbarrow. A truck full of soil will be weighty and leave deep tracks if it drives on your lawn.
• Storage: If you plan on leaving the soil for days or weeks, cover it until you're ready to use it to maintain its loose, crumbly texture, and to prevent it from developing into an anaerobic compost pile.