How Much Soil Do You Need?
Tell us about your containers or beds and we'll figure out the volume, recommend the right BuildASoil recipe, and pick the cheapest mix of bags and totes to get you there.
1. Your Garden
Choose how you want to enter your volume.
Add a row for each container size. Volume below is each container's gallons; we multiply by the count.
Enter each bed's inside dimensions. Add rows for multiple beds.
2. Headspace at top — leave room for mulch/topdressing
2"
Most growers leave 2–3"
3. Recipe
Pick what you're growing.
Light
Veggies, seedlings, clones
3.0
Full flowering, serious gardens
Your Soil Order
Updates live as you fill in the form.
Total volume needed
0 cu ft
0 gallons
💡 Heads up — volumes are approximate: Fresh soil is fluffy when it goes in but will settle and compress after watering, so you may end up needing a little more than the math says. Most growers also leave 2–3" of headspace at the top for mulch and topdressing — the slider on the left already accounts for this. If you'll be transplanting up from 1-gallon nursery pots (or any starter containers), each transplant brings its own soil with it, so your actual need will be a bit less than what's shown. Bottom line: don't stress about being exact — a little extra is great for next round or topdressing.
Enter your container or bed details on the left to see your buying options.
Three ways to buy: 1 cu ft bags ship free on 2+ items (10% off at 4+). 70 cu ft pallets also ship free — the smart choice for bigger gardens. 1 yard totes are the cheapest per cu ft of soil; freight is calculated at checkout (we estimate up to $500/tote, often less — especially closer to Colorado) and always includes liftgate so the truck unloads curbside. Two totes ship per freight pallet, so even multiples are most efficient.
🚜 Local pickup option: If you can drive to Montrose, Colorado, you can load up at our Factory Outlet and skip freight entirely. Pickup pricing is different (and often the best deal) — see factoryoutlet.buildasoil.com for pickup-only pricing.
🌱 Shop local & save: Call your local grow store and ask if they carry BuildASoil — buying local saves on shipping and supports your community. Don't see us on their shelves? Ask them to bring us in. A full pallet ships free to the store at wholesale pricing, so they can pass the savings on to you. Find a store near you →
