Garden Soil Calculator
Calculate how much garden soil or potting soil mix you need for flower beds, vegetable gardens, and container planting.
Results
Visualization
How It Works
Garden soil is a nutrient-rich blend of topsoil, compost, and organic amendments designed specifically for growing flowers, vegetables, and herbs. It is lighter and more fertile than plain topsoil, with better drainage and aeration for healthy root growth.
The Formula
Volume (cu ft) = Length x Width x Depth / 12
Cubic Yards = Volume / 27
Tons = Cubic Yards x 0.9
Cubic Yards = Volume / 27
Tons = Cubic Yards x 0.9
Variables
- L — Length of the garden area in feet
- W — Width of the garden area in feet
- D — Desired depth in inches
- 0.9 — Approximate weight of garden soil mix in tons per cubic yard
Example
A 15 ft x 10 ft vegetable garden at 4 inches deep needs 50 cu ft = 1.85 cubic yards = 1.67 tons. At $45/yard that costs about $83.
Tips
- Garden soil is meant for in-ground use; for containers and pots, use potting mix instead, which is lighter and drains faster.
- Improve existing clay soil by tilling in 3-4 inches of garden soil mix rather than replacing all the native soil.
- A soil test (about $15-20 from your county extension office) tells you exactly what amendments your garden needs.
- Vegetable gardens benefit from 1-2 inches of fresh compost or garden soil added each spring before planting.
- Bagged garden soil at big box stores is convenient but costs 3-5 times more per cubic yard than bulk delivery.