Free raised garden bed soil calculator. Enter bed dimensions and number of beds to get total soil volume, a bagged-vs-bulk cost comparison, and a full breakdown for Mel's Mix or a simple topsoil/compost blend.
Use this before filling new raised beds — it converts your bed footprint and height into a soil volume, splits that volume into a specific mix recipe (Mel's Mix thirds or a simple topsoil/compost blend), and compares bagged versus bulk pricing so you don't overpay for convenience on a large project.
Unlike a plain volume calculator, this tool splits the total into an actual mix recipe (Mel's Mix thirds, or a simple topsoil/compost ratio) and puts bagged and bulk pricing side by side so the cheaper option is obvious at your specific volume.
Volume per bed is length × width × height (converted to feet), multiplied by the number of identical beds for a project total.
Bags needed rounds the total cubic feet up by your bag size, and is compared side-by-side against the bulk delivery price per cubic yard.
Mel's Mix splits the total volume into equal thirds of compost, peat moss (or coco coir), and vermiculite; the simple mix instead uses a 60% topsoil / 40% compost split.
Organic mixes like compost and peat settle and compress as they decompose, so beds typically lose 10–15% of their volume in the first year. Plan to add that much fresh mix back the following spring.
Bagged soil is convenient for small beds, but bulk delivery usually becomes cheaper once you need more than about 1 cubic yard, since bulk pricing drops per unit and avoids paying for bag packaging.
Mel's Mix — from Mel Bartholomew's Square Foot Gardening method — is an equal blend of compost, peat moss (or coco coir), and vermiculite. It drains well, holds moisture, and needs no native soil, making it a reliable starting mix for new raised beds.
Raised bed kits and lumber heights vary widely, from 6-inch edging to 22-inch tall beds, and volume scales directly with height. Entering your actual height keeps the soil estimate accurate for your specific build.
इनपुट
Two 4 ft × 4 ft beds, 11 in tall, Mel's Mix, 1.5 cu ft bags at $10, bulk soil $45/cu yd.
आउटपुट
29.3 cu ft (1.09 cu yd) total; 20 bags ($200) vs. bulk delivery ($48.89) — bulk wins.
2 beds at 4×4×11" hold 14.67 cu ft each, 29.33 cu ft total (1.09 cu yd). At 1.5 cu ft/bag that's 20 bags for $200, versus $48.89 for bulk soil at $45/cu yd — bulk is dramatically cheaper once you're over roughly a cubic yard.
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