When bagged makes sense
Bulk by the yard is cheaper if you're doing more than a couple beds. But there are real cases for bagged:
- Small jobs. A single 4x6 bed. A flowerpot rotation. Filling in around a new shrub. Bulk minimum is one yard — you don't need a yard.
- Stair-access deliveries. Bulk drops in the driveway. Bagged gets carried into a courtyard or back yard or up an apartment stair without a wheelbarrow run.
- Topping off a bulk order. You measured 4 yards of mulch and 2 bags of polymeric. Forget the extra calculation — grab two bagged of mulch on your way out for the spot that's mossy.
- Specialty items the yard doesn't stock in bulk. Pelletized lime, balanced fertilizers, pre-emergent herbicides, soil acidifiers — these only make sense in bag form.
What we stock
Mulch in bags (2 cu ft)
The same hardwood, cedar, and color-enhanced mulches we sell by the yard, in 2-cubic-foot bags. Roughly 14 bags equal one cubic yard — past 5 bags, bulk is cheaper.
Soil amendments in bags (40 lb)
Topsoil, compost, raised-bed mix, and potting mix in 40-pound bags. Useful for one-bed top-dressing and container fills.
Lawn care
- 21-7-14 Balanced Turf Fertilizer — the everyday DFW turf food. Apply spring and fall. Bag covers about 5,000 sq ft.
- Iron Plus — turns Bermuda and Zoysia deep blue-green without pushing growth. The "color shot" without the mowing penalty.
- Pelletized Lime — for the rare DFW lawn that's gone acidic (usually a heavy oak-leaf area). Don't lime unless a soil test says to.
- Weed-Stop Pre-Emergent — apply late February (spring) and late September (fall) to prevent crabgrass and annual weeds from germinating. Won't help once the weed is up.
When to apply what (North Texas calendar)
| Month | Do this |
|---|---|
| Feb 15 - Mar 1 | Spring pre-emergent (Weed-Stop) |
| Mar 15 - Apr 1 | First fertilizer application (21-7-14) |
| Apr - Sept | Iron Plus as needed for color |
| Sept 15 - Oct 1 | Fall pre-emergent (Weed-Stop) |
| Oct 1 - 15 | Fall fertilizer (21-7-14) |
| Anytime | Bagged mulch top-up |
Skip the pre-emergent windows and you'll spend the rest of the season fighting weeds you could have prevented for $40.
Bagged vs bulk math
| Quantity | Bagged price | Bulk equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bag mulch | $5-6 | — |
| 5 bags mulch | $25-30 | About 1/3 yard ($15) |
| 14 bags mulch | $70-84 | 1 yard ($44-54) |
| 28 bags mulch | $140-168 | 2 yards ($88-108) |
The math: anything past 5 bags, bulk wins. We don't care which way you order — both are easy. We just want you to know.
Pickup or delivery
Bagged is pickup any time we're open. We can deliver bagged with a bulk order (no extra freight), or we'll deliver bagged-only with a small order fee — call for that.
