Seeding Rate
Calculate seed needed per acre from plant target and germination.
About Seeding Rate
Not every seed sprouts, so the target plant population is divided by the germination fraction to find how many seeds to sow. Undersowing wastes a season on thin stands, but overseeding wastes seed and creates overcrowding that cuts yield.
Formula
Seeding Rate
Seeds = target plants ÷ (germination ÷ 100); pounds = seeds ÷ seeds per lb
- germination
- Percentage of seeds expected to sprout
Worked example
With the default values below, Seeding Rate returns Seeds Needed of 117,647. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.
Inputs used
- Target plants per acreminimum 1 plants
- 100,000 plants
- Germination rateaccepts 1–100 %
- 85 %
- Seeds per poundminimum 1 seeds/lb
- 16,000 seeds/lb
Results
- Seeds Needed
- 117,647 seeds/acre
- Seed per Acre
- 7.35 lbs
- Seed per Sq Ft
- 2.70
Step by step
- 1Values used
- 2Seeding Rate
- 3Seeds Needed= 117,647 seeds/acre
- 4Seed per Acre= 7.35 lbs
- 5Seed per Sq Ft= 2.70
Assumptions and limits
- The result is derived only from the 3 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
- In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
- Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Seeding Rate calculated?
Seeds = target plants ÷ (germination ÷ 100); pounds = seeds ÷ seeds per lb Not every seed sprouts, so the target plant population is divided by the germination fraction to find how many seeds to sow.
Why does Seeding Rate matter?
Undersowing wastes a season on thin stands, but overseeding wastes seed and creates overcrowding that cuts yield.
What values do I need to enter?
This calculator takes 3 inputs: Target plants per acre, Germination rate, Seeds per pound. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.