Raised Bed Soil Calculator

Filling a raised bed is a volume problem: length times width gives the footprint, and multiplying by the fill depth gives the soil volume for one bed. Multiply by the number of identical beds and you have the total. The tool reports that total two ways — in cubic yards, the unit bulk soil is delivered in, and in bags, the unit the home center sells.

Bagged garden soil comes mostly in `1.5` and `2.0` cubic-foot bags, so the calculator divides your volume by the bag you choose and rounds up, since a partial bag is not for sale. Once you are filling more than about `1` cubic yard, bulk delivery is usually cheaper than hauling bags — the tool shows both so you can compare on the spot.

Depth matters more than gardeners expect. Most vegetables root happily in `10` to `12` inches, but coverage climbs straight in line with depth, so an extra couple of inches across several beds can add a surprising number of bags. A small settling or waste allowance covers the fact that fresh mix compacts after the first few waterings.