Grass seed calculator
Pounds and bags of seed for a new lawn or for overseeding.
Seed to buy
0 pounds
How it works
seed = lawn area / 1,000 x pounds per 1,000 sq ft bags = seed / bag size, rounded up
Picking a grass fills in a typical rate, and you can change it. The rate on the bag you buy is the one to use, since blends and coated seed differ. Coated seed can be half coating by weight, so it needs more pounds for the same number of seeds.
Typical seeding rates, pounds per 1,000 sq ft
| Grass | New lawn | Overseeding |
|---|---|---|
| Tall fescue | 7 lb | 4 lb |
| Kentucky bluegrass | 2 lb | 1 lb |
| Perennial ryegrass | 7 lb | 4 lb |
| Fine fescue | 4 lb | 2 lb |
| Bermudagrass, hulled | 1.5 lb | 1 lb |
| Zoysiagrass | 1.5 lb | 1 lb |
| Centipedegrass | 0.5 lb | 0.25 lb |
Seed cool-season grasses (fescues, bluegrass, ryegrass) in late summer or early fall, when the soil is warm and the nights are cool. Seed warm-season grasses (bermuda, zoysia, centipede) in late spring and early summer.
Questions
- How much grass seed do I need per 1,000 square feet?
- It depends on the grass: about 7 pounds of tall fescue or perennial ryegrass for a new lawn, 2 of Kentucky bluegrass and 1 to 2 of bermuda or zoysia. Overseeding takes about half.
- Is more seed better?
- No. Seedlings that come up too thick compete for water and light and make a weaker lawn. Stick to the rate on the bag.
- When is the best time to seed?
- Late summer or early fall for cool-season grasses, and late spring to early summer for warm-season grasses.
- Why does coated seed need a higher rate?
- The coating can be about half the weight of the bag, so a pound of coated seed holds fewer seeds. Follow the rate printed on the bag.
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