Divide the lawn’s area by 1,000 and multiply by the seeding rate for your grass. A 2,000 sq ft new lawn of tall fescue, at 6 to 8 lb per 1,000 sq ft, takes 12 to 16 lb of seed. To overseed a thin lawn, use about half to three-quarters of that: 6 to 12 lb.
The math, with your numbers
Bags are counted at the top of the range, so you have enough. Spread half the seed in one direction and half across it: Missouri Extension finds two passes spread the seed more evenly than one.
Seeding rates by grass
| Grass | New lawn, lb per 1,000 sq ft | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tall fescue | 6–8 | University of Maryland; NC State uses 6, Nebraska 5–8, Missouri 7–9 for blends |
| Kentucky bluegrass | 2–3 | University of Maryland; NC State 1–2, Nebraska 1–3 |
| Fine fescue | 4–6 | University of Maryland |
| Tall fescue + bluegrass | 6 | NC State: 5 lb tall fescue + 1 lb bluegrass |
| Bluegrass + perennial ryegrass | 2.5 | NC State, with bluegrass 60% of the mix by weight |
| Bermudagrass | 1–2 | NC State; University of Maryland 1 |
| Zoysiagrass | 1–2 | NC State; University of Maryland 1 |
| Centipedegrass | 0.25–0.5 | NC State |
More isn’t better: NC State warns that rates above these can give weak, thin stands that are more prone to disease and heat stress. Coated seed weighs more, so it needs a higher rate (NC State); follow the bag for coated seed.
How much seed to overseed
Overseeding puts new seed into a lawn that already has grass, so it needs less:
- NC State: a 25 to 50% lower rate than for a new lawn.
- Missouri Extension: half the amount, for lawns thinned by summer stress.
- Nebraska Extension: 3 to 4 lb of tall fescue per 1,000 sq ft (against 5 to 8 for a new lawn), and about 2 lb of Kentucky bluegrass.
The calculator uses 50 to 75% of the new-lawn rate. For the steps, see how to overseed a lawn.
Bare patches
Measure only the bare areas and use the full new-lawn rate on them. NC State reseeds bare spots wider than 4 inches; smaller gaps fill in by themselves in grasses that spread, but tall fescue and perennial ryegrass grow in clumps and can’t, so they need seed.
When to sow
Cool-season grasses (fescues, bluegrass, ryegrass) do best sown in late summer to early fall, and warm-season grasses (bermuda, zoysia, centipede) in late spring to early summer. Dates for your region are in the best time to plant grass seed.
Questions people ask
How much grass seed do I need per 1,000 square feet?
For a new lawn, 6 to 8 lb of tall fescue, 2 to 3 lb of Kentucky bluegrass or 1 to 2 lb of bermuda or zoysia. For overseeding, about half to three-quarters of that.
How much does a 50 lb bag of grass seed cover?
At 6 to 8 lb per 1,000 sq ft, a 50 lb bag of tall fescue seeds 6,250 to 8,300 sq ft of new lawn. The same bag of bluegrass, at 2 to 3 lb, covers 16,700 to 25,000 sq ft.
How many pounds of grass seed for overseeding 1,000 sq ft?
3 to 4 lb of tall fescue or about 2 lb of Kentucky bluegrass (Nebraska Extension).
How much grass seed for an acre?
An acre is 43,560 sq ft, so a new tall fescue lawn takes about 260 to 350 lb, and Kentucky bluegrass 87 to 131 lb.
Sources
- University of Maryland Extension, Starting a New Lawn (updated 2026): seeding rates per 1,000 sq ft for tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, zoysia and bermudagrass.
- NC State Extension, Carolina Lawns (AG-69, 2021): seeding rates and mixes; a 25–50% lower rate into existing turf; higher rates give weak stands; coated seed; reseeding bare spots over 4 in.
- Nebraska Extension, Overseeding in the Fall (Amanda Folck, 2023): overseeding 3–4 lb of tall fescue and about 2 lb of Kentucky bluegrass per 1,000 sq ft.
- University of Missouri Extension, Natural Lawn Care (G6749): half the seed to overseed; 7–9 lb for tall fescue blends; two passes in two directions.
- Bag coverage and acres: our arithmetic.