Pine straw calculator
A 20 × 10 ft bed takes 5 bales of pine straw for a new 3 in layer, with 10% extra, at the 50 sq ft a 25 lb bale covers in LSU AgCenter's figures. A 1 in top-up takes about a third as many.
How much a bale covers
Pine straw is sold by the bale, and bales aren't a standard size: LSU AgCenter says most sold in Louisiana weigh 25 to 51 lb and hold 3 to 6 cubic feet. So the published coverage figures differ, and each comes with the bale it was measured on. The calculator offers the main ones; if your seller says what its bales cover, choose "Other" and enter it.
| Source | Bale | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| LSU AgCenter | 25 lb bale, 3 cu ft | 50 sq ft at 3 in |
| Texas A&M AgriLife | 40 lb bale | 100 sq ft at 2 in |
| NC State Extension | A bale | about 35 sq ft |
| Mid-Atlantic Pine Straw | A bale | 40 sq ft at 2½ in |
| Straw America | Square bale | 35 to 40 sq ft at 2 to 3 in |
| Straw America | Longleaf roll | 100 to 125 sq ft at 2 to 3 in |
A bale spread thinner covers more ground in proportion. LSU AgCenter's rule for a 1 in top-up is that a bale goes three times as far as it does at 3 in, and the calculator scales every bale the same way.
| Bed | 25 lb bales at 3 in | At 2 in | At 1 in | Square bales at 3 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 200 sq ft | 4 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 500 sq ft | 10 | 7 | 4 | 15 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 20 | 14 | 7 | 30 |
| 2,000 sq ft | 40 | 27 | 14 | 60 |
Area: 20 ft × 10 ft = 200 sq ft
50 sq ft × 3 in ÷ 3 in = 50 sq ft a bale
How deep to spread it
LSU AgCenter recommends an initial 3 in layer around shrubs and trees, a little less around bedding plants, roses and perennials, and about half a pound of straw a square foot to get it. Fresh straw is fluffy and settles: Texas A&M AgriLife says a new 3 in layer settles to about 1.5 in. Top it up with about 1 in once or twice a year, as LSU suggests, and keep mulch 2 to 3 in back from trunks and stems.
LSU AgCenter also notes that pine straw suits slopes, because the needles knit together and don't wash away, but that it settles quickly and needs replenishing often. For bark or wood mulch by the cubic yard or the bag, use the mulch calculator.
What pine straw costs
Online listings in November 2026 ran from under $5 to $35 a bale, depending on the seller and the size of the bale, so compare what each bale covers as well as its price.
| Item | Typical | Range | Stores |
|---|---|---|---|
| bale of pine straw | $9.00 | $4.85 to $34.99 | 15 |
Sources
- Pine straw makes excellent mulch, LSU AgCenter, March 2009. An initial 3 in layer, half a pound a square foot; bales of 25 to 51 lb and 3 to 6 cu ft; a 25 lb, 3 cu ft bale covers 50 sq ft 3 in deep; a 1 in top-up makes a bale go three times as far.
- Mulch in moderation, LSU AgCenter, April 2022. Pine straw suits slopes, as the needles intertwine and do not wash away, but settles quickly and needs replenishing; keep mulch 2 to 3 in from trunks and stems.
- Pine straw as a ground cover mulch (L-5447), Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, January 2004. A 40 lb bale covers about 100 sq ft 2 in deep; a new 3 in layer settles to about 1.5 in.
- Preemergence weed control in landscape beds, NC State Extension, June 2016. Pine straw: a bale covers about 35 sq ft.
- Pine straw coverage calculator, Mid-Atlantic Pine Straw, read November 2026. A bale covers 40 sq ft 2.5 in deep.
- Pine straw calculator and products, Straw America, read November 2026. A square bale covers about 35 to 40 sq ft at 2 to 3 in; a longleaf roll about 100 to 125 sq ft.
- Online store listings for bagged concrete, mortar, grout, block, rebar, mesh, gravel, sand, soil, mulch and pavers, Google Shopping results (Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards, Ace Hardware, Walmart and others), November 2026. Single-item prices by store; the calculators use the median as the default and show the range.