How much seed do i need for my lawn

In the US, warm weather grass is found in the southern regions of the country. It grows best in temperatures between 75 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Cool weather grass varieties grow well in locations with warm summers and cold winters. The grass grows the fastest during the spring and fall when the temperatures are moderate degrees. It is typically sold in sprigs, plugs, or sod form, though seeds are available, too.

Augustine grass is rarely grown from seed. It is usually planted with sod or plugs. Overseeding is the installation of new grass seed with existing grass. It is used to fill in thin or bald patches in the lawn.

Obviously, overseeding will require less grass seed than starting a lawn from scratch. Check out our grass seed chart to see the different requirements for overseeding versus new seeding. Grass seed needs moisture in order to germinate.

A sunny area is much more difficult to keep moist than a shaded area. Use the chart above to determine your grass seed needs for your lawn. If it is in an area with full sun, use the upper end of the recommended range. A shaded area has a level of protection from the sun that will help those seeds stay moist and grow well. You may want to stick with the lower number on the recommended amount of grass seed for areas that are in the shade. For any area, water grass seed and young grass multiple times a day until the grass is established.

This may take a month or so! The grass is mature when the blades are inches tall. At that point, resume your regular watering routine. For the best results, calculate your grass seed needs by type of seed and square footage.

Otherwise, a general rule of thumb is pounds of grass seed per 1, square feet for new lawns and pounds of grass seed per 1, square feet for overseeding. You can use our contractor locator tool to help you find contractors willing to assist with your project. Lawn grasses are usually classified into either warm-season or cool-season grasses.

The different varieties offer different textures, hardiness, and drought tolerance. They also require different amounts of seed to grow into lush lawns.

Warm-season grasses grow better in warmer climates, including the southern US. Bermuda, St. Augustine, and Zoysia are warm-season grasses. Cool-season grasses thrive in cooler temperatures or climates with temperature fluctuations. Fescues, Kentucky Bluegrass, and Ryegrass are beautiful cool-season varieties.

Besides variety, how much grass seed you use also depends on whether you are growing a lawn from bare soil or over-seeding an existing one.

New lawns generally require about twice as much seed as overseeding. Most seed suppliers indicate coverage rates in pounds of grass seed per square feet of land covered. If you are using the calculator above, you can skip this section and get right seeding your lawn! Try our lawn mowing calculator to estimate how long it will take to mow your new lawn. Once you know the correct measurements and the proper type of seed for your location, you are ready to figure out how much seed you need.

Always follow the guidelines recommended on the seed bag. Some grass seeds can cover square feet with just 1 pound, while other types need a pound for every square feet. Read, then follow the recommended guidelines. Most seed bags will recommend a range such as square feet per pound. Seeding a new lawn or spot repair usually takes roughly twice as much seed as overseeding an existing lawn.

Use the rate with the heaviest coverage for new lawns and to fill in bare or damaged areas. Use the lower rate when planting seed into an existing lawn to thicken the turf, minimize weeds, or convert to another type of grass. Make sure you distribute the seed evenly.

Using a spreader will scatter the seed over a large area in a fan-like pattern and ensure you get uniform coverage. Using a higher quality grass seed will affect how much you need to use as well.