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Tankload Coverage Chart

The area covered with a tank load of mulch, seed, and fertilizer (the slurry) depends on the way it is applied to the ground. With a very small nozzle, as much as an acre (43,560 Sq. ft.) can be covered with a single tank load from a small machine. (The appropriate seed for an acre can usually be easily loaded into a small machine.) However, to obtain seed protecting benefits of the mulch, wood mulch should be applied at a minimum of about 35 lbs per 1,000 square feet. Higher application rates are frequently needed, depending upon the job site conditions and temperatures.

To determine how much area can be covered with a tank load, it is first necessary to know the mulch application rate, the type of mulch to be used, and then it must be known how much of the required mulch product can be utilized in one tank load of the machine.

Each line in the chart below lists an amount of mulch to be used in one tank load. Then reading across the page, the area covered by that tank load can be determined by choosing the column headed with the desired mulch application rate.

The ultimate limiting factor determining how much area can be planted with one tank load is the amount of mulch that can be loaded, mixed, and pumped from the machine.

Square Feet of Area to be Covered with One Tank Load

	Application at Trace Amounts	Application Light Coverage	Application Moderate Coverage	Application Heavy Coverage	Application  Std BFM Coverage	Application Heavy BFM Coverage
Pounds of Mulch in one Tank Load	15 lbs Mulch per 1,000 SF Approximately(650 per Acre)	30 lbs Mulch  per 1,000 SF Approximately(1,300 per Acre)	46 lbs Mulch  per 1,000 SF Approximately(2,000 per Acre)	60 lbs Mulch  per 1,000 SF Approximately(2,600 per Acre)	80 lbs Mulch  per 1,000 SF Approximately(3,500 per Acre)	100 lbs Mulch  per 1,000 SF Approximately(4,350 per Acre)
50 lbs	3,333 Sq Ft	1,666 Sq Ft	1,111 Sq Ft	833 Sq Ft	625 Sq Ft	500 Sq Ft
75 lbs	5,000 Sq Ft	2,142 Sq Ft	1,666 Sq Ft	1,364 Sq Ft	1,154 Sq Ft	1,000 Sq Ft
100lbs	6,667 Sq Ft	2,857 Sq Ft	2,222 Sq Ft	1,818 Sq Ft	1,538 Sq Ft	1,333 Sq Ft
125 lbs	8,333 Sq Ft	3,571 Sq Ft	2,777 Sq Ft	2,273 Sq Ft	1,923 Sq Ft	1,667 Sq Ft
150 lbs	10,000 Sq Ft	4, 285 Sq Ft	3,333 Sq Ft	2,727 Sq Ft	2,308 Sq Ft	2,000 Sq Ft
175 lbs	11,666 Sq Ft	5,000 Sq Ft	3,888 Sq Ft	3,182 Sq Ft	2,692 Sq Ft	2,333 Sq Ft
200 lbs	13,333 Sq Ft	5,714 Sq Ft	4,444 Sq Ft	3,636 Sq Ft	3,077 Sq Ft	2,667 Sq Ft
250 lbs	16,666 Sq Ft	7,142 Sq Ft	5,556 Sq Ft	4,545 Sq Ft	3,846 Sq Ft	3,333 Sq Ft
300 lbs	20,000 Sq Ft	8,571 Sq Ft	6,667 Sq Ft	5,455 Sq Ft	4,615 Sq Ft	4,000 Sq Ft
350 lbs	23,333 Sq Ft	10,000 Sq Ft	7,778 Sq Ft	6,364 Sq Ft	5,385 Sq Ft	4,667 Sq Ft
400 lbs	26,666 Sq Ft	11,428 Sq Ft	8,889 Sq Ft	7,273 Sq Ft	6,154 Sq Ft	5,333 Sq Ft
450 lbs	30,000 Sq Ft	12,857 Sq Ft	10,000 Sq Ft	8,182 Sq Ft	6,923 Sq Ft	6,000 Sq Ft
500 lbs	33,333 Sq Ft	14,285 Sq Ft	11,111Sq Ft	9,091 Sq Ft	7,692 Sq Ft	6,667 Sq Ft

Most mechanical agitation machines can be loaded with at least 50% more mulch (per gallon of water) than jet agitation machines. Therefore, a 600 gallon mechanical agitation machine can be loaded with more mulch than a 900 gallon jet agitation machine. The result is that more area can be covered with a given mulch application rate with a 600 gallon mechanical agitation machine than a 900 jet agitation machine.

Mulch Application Rates - General Guidelines :
15 lbs. / 1,000 square feet is useful to see where seed has been applied. There is little value for moisture retention or for erosion protection provided by this mulch application.

30 lbs. / 1,000 square feet may be appropriate during very cool planting conditions. If any erosion protection is needed, a tacking agent must be added to the slurry.

46 lbs. / 1,000 square feet is appropriate when daytime temperatures are not expected to exceed about 85 degrees. This mulch application rate provides some erosion protection. Tackifier is recommended.

60 lbs. / 1,000 square feet is appropriate when daytime temperatures exceed 85 degrees. This rate provides some soil moisture retention and erosion protection. Tackifiers always improve erosion protection.

80 lbs. / 1,000 square feet (3,500 lbs/acre) is required on many Bonded Fiber Matrix (BFM) applications. BFM products are "Super Mulch" products, sometimes used in place of erosion control blankets.

Bonded Fiber Matrix (BFM) products are quite effective on sites requiring extra erosion control and also, because of the heavier application rates, will germinate and grow grass under dryer and hotter job site conditions.

100 lbs. / 1,000 square feet (4,350 lbs/acre) is a heavy application for a BFM. However, on some erosion control applications, it will be necessary to make such an application.

Note: Germination will be slightly slower, but more consistent with heavy wood mulch applications. Tackifiers will always increase erosion protection, and may speed up germination time.

Caution: Germination may be inhibited when paper mulch is applied at more than 50 lbs/1,000 sq ft.

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