Seeding calculator
How much seed for your square footage, by species, for a new stand or an overseed.
Seed to buy
Published rate8.0–10.0 lb / 1,000 ft²
Total for 5,000 ft²40.0–50.0 lb
| Species | New lawn | Overseed |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky bluegrass | 2.0–3.0 | 1.0–1.5 |
| Perennial ryegrass | 7.0–9.0 | 3.5–5.0 |
| Tall fescue | 8.0–10.0 | 4.0–5.0 |
| Fine fescue | 4.0–5.0 | 2.0–2.5 |
| Bermudagrass (hulled) | 1.0–2.0 | 0.5–1.0 |
| Zoysiagrass (seeded) | 1.0–2.0 | 0.5–1.0 |
Why this gives you a range, not a number
Seeding rates are published as bands because the right figure inside the band depends on the seedbed, the season and how fast you need cover — and no calculator can see any of those. The bands here are the ones repeated across university turf extension guides. Picking a single number and presenting it as the answer would be inventing precision that does not exist.
Overseeding rates are roughly half the new-lawn rates, because an existing stand is competing with the seedlings for light and water rather than making room for them.