Finding Quality Bulk Materials in Pasadena, MD – Mulch, Soil, Compost, Stone, Sand, and More.
Whether you’re prepping raised bed vegetable gardens, building a DIY patio, or applying fresh mulch to your garden beds, at some point you will need to decide about bulk material – what to buy, how much the project requires, and where to purchase the material. Himmel’s can help!
Know what you are paying for!
Himmel’s sells bulk items by volume. This is because we do not have a mechanism for weighing material to sell by the ton. Our machines are equipped with ½ yard and 1-yard buckets. A yard is a volume measurement.
- Note that 1 yard is approximately equivalent to 1.5 tons
- A half yard is approximately equivalent to ¾ tons
If you are comparing pricing for bulk material, make sure to ask if the material is sold by the yard or by the ton. Once you have your price list, you can do some simple math to break all the pricing down to ½ ton increments and make a fair comparison.
Price per ton vs. price per yard – The Math!
Divide the price per ton by 2 to arrive at the ½ ton price, then multiply by 3 to arrive at the price per yard [because remember… one yard = 1.5 tons].
Or – divide the price per yard by 3 to arrive at the price per ½ ton.
This quick equation will allow you to compare ½ ton pricing among different vendors.
For example:
-
- $50 per ton / 2 = $25 per half ton. $25 per half ton x 3 = $75 per yard
- $75 per yard / 3 = $25 per half ton
Quality, convenience, and price are important factors to consider when purchasing bulk material. Make sure to compare delivery fees too!
But How Much Do I Need?
The amount of material depends on the type of project. For construction projects, safety regulations and building codes require a specific amount of aggregate or material for a base layer. The depth depends on whether the project is for pedestrian or vehicular application. For mulch beds, 2-3” is generally sufficient, although some gardeners prefer up to 4” of mulch. The amount of soil, compost, or fill dirt is related to the volume required for the area. A cubic yard measurement will most accurately meet your volume needs.
We offer 3 options to help you determine the amount of material required for your project!
3) Calculate your volume needs using the steps listed below to arrive at cubic yards:
- First determine square footage. Measure L x W for square footage. If your beds are oddly shaped, you can divide them into quadrants, or make a general sq. ft determination and round up to the nearest whole number.
- Determine how deep you want the mulch/soil/stone to be.
- Divide the square footage by the appropriate number to arrive at cubic yards:
- 4″ deep – divide by 81
- 3″ deep – divide by 108
- 2″ deep – divide by 162
- 1″ deep – divide by 324
For example, if you have 4 raised bed gardens, each one is 12’x4’, and you want to top-dress with 4” of compost:
- 12’x4’ garden bed = 48 sq. ft.
- 48 sq. ft. x 4 garden beds = 192 total sq. ft.
- 192 sq. ft. / 81 = 2.37 cubic yards.
Next Steps
It’s the perfect time of year to start planning your next project! We would love to be a part of it. Call Himmel’s or visit us online and let us help you determine your material and quantity needs.
And if you decide you just don’t feel like doing it yourself, contact landscaping@himmelsgardencenter.com for a free consultation, and let our friendly and detail-oriented landscaping and hardscaping crews do it for you!
Bulk Product Description
- Topsoil – locally produced, double screened topsoil suitable for a variety of landscape applications including backfilling, planting grass seed, and garden beds. $40 per yard. Delivery and pickup available.
- Leafgro – also called leaf compost; made up of shredded leaves and grass clippings that are completely decomposed. Leafgro is locally produced. Excellent for overseeding or installing sod. Also used to amend soil for planting. Can be mixed with topsoil. Customers sometimes order half and half; this is usually a mix of half leafgro/half topsoil. $40 per yard. Delivery and pickup available.
- Mushroom Compost – this is a blend of organic matter most suitable for vegetable and herb gardening. Can be mixed with topsoil. 1 part mushroom compost to 2 parts topsoil = 6.5 pH; perfect for gardening. $40 per yard. Delivery and pickup available.
- Fill Dirt – Screened fill dirt for backfilling and for construction projects. Not recommended for gardening. $32 per yard. Delivery and pickup available.
- Mulch – all Himmel’s high quality mulches are shredded hardwood. The dyed mulch is dyed with vegetable dye and is non-toxic. Prices range $35 – $48 per yard. Delivery and pickup available.
- Concrete Sand – Useful for many construction, hardscape, and landscape applications. Concrete sand is the final layer before pavers are installed. Cannot be used as playground sand because it gets very dusty when dry and sometimes there are large, sharp particles. $90 per yard. Delivery and pickup available.
- Crusher Run – Also called CR-6, crusher run stone is a mix of coarse and fine aggregate used in construction and hardscape applications. CR-6 is the base layer for patios and retaining walls and should be tamped down to builder specifications for safe use. Himmel’s carries blue gray CR-6 for $90 per yard. Delivery and pickup available.
- 57# Stone – This stone is about 3/4″ in size. 57# stone is multipurpose and used in construction, hardscape, landscape, and drainage applications. Himmel’s carries 57# stone in two colors: marble chip [white] for $95 per yard, and blue gray for $95 per yard. Delivery and pickup available.
- Chesapeake Blend River Rock – River rock, also called river jack and Delaware rounds, is a multi-colored stone with a smooth surface used for decorative applications. Himmel’s carries river rock in 3/4″; 1-3″; and 3-5” sizes. All sizes are $250 per yard. Delivery and pickup available.
Other aggregates and materials available for direct delivery.
Just ask!
Contact us today at 410-255-7730 or landscaping@himmelsgardencenter.com to schedule your free consultation.
