“I purchased 3.0 CF bags of Black Gold Peat Moss. What is the expanded volume of this bag? I need 3.5 cubic yards of peat for my raised bed garden mix, so was going to buy 32 of these bales…but realized it’s going to expand. How do I calculate how much to buy?” Question from Dave of Utah

Answer: To determine the expansion of 3.0 cubic foot bales of Black Gold Peat Moss anticipate it at a 2:1 ratio. So, the bales should expand to 6 cubic feet when properly fluffed. One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet, so to determine the amount you need in cubic yards calculate 3.5  x 27 = 94.5. Then divide 94.5 by 6 for a total of 15.75 bales. I’d go with 16 bales of peat to be safe.

I hope that this helps!

Best,

Jessie Keith