A yard of garden soil covers about 100 sq ft spread 3 inches deep — or fills roughly 40 sq ft of new bed at 8 inches. Depth is the whole game: the same yard stretches to about 160 sq ft as a 2-inch amendment layer.
What one yard fills
| Use | Coverage per yard |
|---|---|
| 2" amendment over existing beds | ~160 sq ft |
| 3" planting layer | ~100 sq ft |
| 8" new bed, filled full depth | ~40 sq ft |
Round up to the next half yard — soil settles, and planting season waits for no one. For raised beds, measure the interior dimensions, since the walls steal a few square feet from the math. See Garden Soil by the cubic yard and run your beds through the material calculator.
