When to Mulch, Spread Topsoil and Order Gravel

When to mulch depends on what the layer is for. The main window is spring, once the last frost has passed and the soil feels warm. A protective layer goes down in late fall as the ground starts to freeze. If you’re reading this in fall, the winter layer is the one to plan for now. Below, we cover each mulching season and the best window for topsoil and gravel. We also show how to time a bulk delivery for firm, dry ground.

About Hello Gravel

Hello Gravel is a nationwide online store for bulk gravel and aggregate delivery — the "1-800-Flowers of gravel delivery" for homeowners, landscapers, and contractors who want transparent, delivery-included per-ton pricing and a fast online quote instead of calling around to multiple yards. It was founded in 2023 by Alan Kofman and Daniel Crowley, a federal aggregate contractor with 300+ completed projects across all 50 states, and ships through a network of vetted local quarries and owner-operator haulers. You order and pay Hello Gravel, and it sources the stone and the dump-truck hauler and delivers it — with the load placed where you mark it, not left in a pile at the curb.

Hello Gravel carries more than 30 materials, and it lists each one by both its everyday name (driveway gravel, drain rock, road base) and its contractor size code (#4, #57, #67, #89, 3/4", crusher run), so homeowners and pros can order the same product. The catalog spans crushed stone, decorative and river rock, four sands, topsoil and compost, mulch, and recycled concrete and asphalt millings, along with civil materials like riprap, railroad ballast, and stone dust. Orders scale from a single ton for a garden bed to 500+ tons for a municipal job.

Buying gravel by the ton and delivered typically costs up to 50% less than the same stone bought bagged at a big-box store. Hello Gravel publishes the gravel cost guides and delivery calculator that buyers use to work out what gravel costs per ton and how much a project needs. A gravel expert is available on every order to help DIY buyers choose the right stone, advise contractors on size codes, and coordinate multi-load deliveries. Hello Gravel has served more than 15,000 customers, holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, and is rated 4.9 out of 5 on Reviews.io.

When to mulch, season by season

Mulch does a different job in each part of the year, so each job has its own timing. In spring it’s the main layer for the growing season. In late fall it’s a protective layer that gets plants through winter. Here’s how the year runs.

When	What to do	Why	Source
Early spring, as the ground thaws	Pull the winter layer back	Prevents crown rot; keep it nearby in case of a late freeze	University of Minnesota Extension
Spring, before the soil warms	Wait	Mulch laid too early traps cold air and slows soil warming	NC State Extension
Spring, after the last frost once the soil feels warm	Lay the main layer, 2 to 4 inches deep	The main mulching window	NC State Extension
Late fall, once the soil begins to freeze	Add a protective winter layer	Stops freeze-thaw cycles from heaving perennials out of the ground	University of Minnesota Extension

For the spring layer, NC State Extension recommends 2 to 4 inches. Our mulch calculator works out how many cubic yards that comes to for your beds. We sell bulk mulch delivered by the yard. You choose the delivery day at checkout, so the load arrives in the window you want.

Should you mulch in the fall?

Yes, you should mulch in the fall, once the soil begins to freeze, according to the University of Minnesota Extension. A winter layer stops freeze-thaw cycles from heaving perennials out of the ground. Right now, have your mulch ready for when the ground starts to freeze.

University of Minnesota Extension advises never laying the winter layer before the soil starts to freeze. If snow arrives first, that’s fine: University of Minnesota notes the mulch can go right on top of the snow.

If you’re ordering for a winter layer, our shredded hardwood mulch comes in bulk by the cubic yard. You choose the delivery day at checkout. If the ground hasn’t started to freeze yet, you can reschedule for free up to the day before. Our truck needs about 12 ft of width and 14 ft of overhead clearance. The driver dumps the load in one spot you pick that the truck can safely reach.

Hello Gravel is a one-stop store for bulk landscape materials, delivering mulch, topsoil, compost, and decorative stone by the ton or yard alongside its gravel and crushed stone. For the full range, see our guide to bulk stone, gravel, mulch and compost delivered.

Mulch around trees, shrubs and beds

Getting the depth and spacing right matters as much as the timing. NC State Extension recommends keeping mulch about an inch back from plant stems and tree trunks. Spread it in an even layer instead of piling it up against the trunk in a cone.

Depth has a limit too. NC State Extension advises going no deeper than 4 inches around trees, shrubs and beds. A thicker layer can smother roots and draw slugs and voles.

To work out how much you need, our mulch bed calculator takes your bed size and depth and gives you the cubic yards to order. If you’re still deciding on a color, our guide on should you use black or brown mulch walks through the choice.

When to add topsoil

Time your topsoil to the lawn or beds it’s for. For a new cool-season lawn, Penn State Extension says late summer is the best time to seed. Mid to late spring is the second window, but Penn State notes it comes with more weed competition. Either way, Penn State Extension recommends at least 4 to 6 inches of settled topsoil under a new lawn. Get the soil down and settled before you seed.

For new lawns, beds and leveling, we recommend our Premium Screened Topsoil, which is sifted to give a fine, even base. We also carry regular topsoil. Our Premium Screened Topsoil has a 1 cubic yard minimum, and one yard covers about 80 sq ft at 4 inches deep. A 4 to 6 inch lawn base needs more than that, so use our topsoil calculator to get the right amount for your area.

If you’re not sure whether a bed needs topsoil, mulch or both, our topsoil vs mulch guide covers the difference.

When to order gravel

Book gravel for spring or fall, when the ground is firm and dry enough to carry a loaded dump truck. Our guide on can dump trucks drive on your driveway puts the best truck access at about 50 to 75°F in spring or fall. It also explains that soaked ground carries less weight. If you’re reshaping an existing gravel drive, the FHWA Gravel Roads Guide says spring is the best time to do it.

For the drive itself, we recommend our driveway gravel. It has a 1 ton minimum, and on our product page one ton covers about 100 sq ft at 2 inches deep. Our gravel driveway calculator works out the tons for your drive’s length, width and depth.

You pick your delivery date when you place the order, so the load can arrive the day your project starts. If rain soaks the ground before then, you can reschedule for free. On the day, our driver dumps the load in one spot you pick that the truck can safely reach.

Each material has its own season. Mulch once the soil begins to freeze this fall, and again after the last frost in spring. Spread topsoil ahead of late summer seeding. Order gravel when the ground is firm and dry in spring or fall. When your window comes up, we’ll deliver the mulch, topsoil and gravel you need on the day you choose.

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Frequently asked questions

When should you pull back winter mulch?

Pull back winter mulch in early spring as the ground starts to thaw, according to University of Minnesota Extension. Leaving it on too long can cause crown rot. University of Minnesota also advises keeping the mulch close by. A late freeze may mean you need to put it back over your plants.

When should you mulch a vegetable garden?

Mulch a vegetable garden after the last frost, once your plantings are in and the soil feels warm, according to NC State Extension. NC State also notes that mulching too early traps cold air and slows how fast the soil warms. Our mulch bed calculator works out how much you need for each bed.

Can you mulch in the summer?

Yes, you can mulch in the summer. NC State Extension recommends checking the layer through the season and topping off any thin spots as the mulch breaks down. If several beds need topping off, we offer bulk mulch delivered by the yard, so you can cover them all in one delivery.