Grass seed, sod & fertilizer calculator
This free grass seed & sod calculator takes your lawn size and tells you how much grass seed (by grass type), fertilizer, and sod you need — for new lawns and overseeding. Free, instant, no signup.
Short answer
Grass-seed rates vary by type: tall fescue and ryegrass need ~8 lbs per 1,000 sq ft for a new lawn, Kentucky bluegrass ~2, warm-season Bermuda ~1.5; overseeding uses about half. A 5,000 sq ft lawn needs about 40 lbs of tall-fescue seed, one fertilizer bag per ~5,000 sq ft, or about 12 pallets of sod.
Tall fescue
8 lb/1k
new lawn
Bluegrass
2 lb/1k
new lawn
Overseeding
½ rate
of new
Sod pallet
450 sqft
~9 sqft/roll
Grass seed needed
—
enter your lawn size
Grass seed rates by type (lb per 1,000 sq ft)
| Grass type | Season | New lawn | Overseeding | 5,000 sq ft new lawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky bluegrass | Cool-season | 2 lb | 1 lb | 10 lb |
| Tall fescue | Cool-season | 8 lb | 4 lb | 40 lb |
| Perennial ryegrass | Cool-season | 8 lb | 4 lb | 40 lb |
| Fine fescue | Cool-season | 4 lb | 2 lb | 20 lb |
| Bermuda grass | Warm-season | 1.5 lb | 1 lb | 7.5 lb |
| Zoysia grass | Warm-season | 2 lb | 1 lb | 10 lb |
Pure-seed rates for broadcast seeding. Seed blends and coated seed change the effective rate — check the bag label. Overseeding uses roughly half the new-lawn rate.
Seeding rate by grass type
How we calculate this
Every number on this page comes from the same formulas the calculator runs — the per-1,000-sq-ft rates the turf industry publishes:
- Grass seed. (lawn area ÷ 1,000 sq ft) × the grass type's seeding rate. Rates differ by an order of magnitude — Kentucky bluegrass needs 2 lb per 1,000 sq ft where tall fescue needs 8, because seed size differs.
- Fertilizer. bags = area ÷ the bag's stated coverage. For nitrogen-rate application: pounds of product = (area ÷ 1,000 sq ft × target lb N) ÷ (the N percentage in the N-P-K number).
- Sod. area + 5% cutting waste, ÷ 9 sq ft per roll and 450 sq ft per pallet, rounded up.
Assumptions
- Broadcast seeding on prepared soil; slopes and poor seed-to-soil contact need higher rates.
- Cool-season grasses seed best in early fall, warm-season in late spring — timing matters as much as rate.
- Sod roll and pallet sizes vary by farm — confirm with your supplier.
Sources
Last reviewed: July 13, 2026
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Frequently asked questions
How much grass seed do I need?
Multiply your lawn area (in thousands of square feet) by the seeding rate for your grass type. Tall fescue and ryegrass need about 8 lbs per 1,000 sq ft for a new lawn, Kentucky bluegrass about 2, and warm-season Bermuda about 1.5. Overseeding uses roughly half the new-lawn rate. Enter your size above and pick your grass.
How much fertilizer does my lawn need?
Divide your lawn square footage by the coverage printed on the bag (often 5,000 sq ft). To hit a target nitrogen rate — usually about 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft per feeding — divide the pounds of nitrogen you need by the fertilizer's nitrogen percentage (the first N-P-K number).
How much sod do I need?
Take your lawn area, add about 5% for cuts and waste, then divide by the piece size. Sod rolls cover roughly 9 sq ft each and pallets about 450 sq ft. A 5,000 sq ft lawn needs about 12 pallets.
What is the best grass for my region?
Cool-season grasses (Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, ryegrass, fine fescue) suit the northern U.S. and are seeded in early fall. Warm-season grasses (Bermuda, Zoysia) suit the South and are seeded in late spring. Matching grass to climate matters more than the seeding rate.