How Much Grass Seed Should I Use to Cover a Small Area?

Measuring

• The amount of seed needed for a small area depends on several factors. In many ways, you use the some factors you would consider if you were seeding an entire lawn. First, obtain at least a rough measure of the area. Width and length measurements can give you square footage.

  The square footage of your small area is an important bit of information. Most commercial lawn seed products include information about the amount of seed to apply. Generally, this information is shown according to pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet. Often, it is listed as a range rather than an exact square footage. That, of course, leaves some of the decision-making to you. Remember that 1 lb. is equivalent to 16 oz. It's likely that you'll only need 1 to 2 oz of seed for your small area. To help with measuring your seed, you might want to keep a conversion chart and a kitchen scale or another small scale handy.

Variables

• Grass seed comes in many varieties. Some blades, such as Bermuda, are thick. Others, such as perennial rye, are much thinner. Coverage rates vary widely according to the seed type and the product brand. MyHomeIdeas.com points out that some seed products recommend a pound of seed for every 200 square feet of lawn, and others recommend a pound for 1,000 square feet, five times as much area. Of course, price also varies.

Amounts

• While packaging provides detailed information on the amount of grass seed you should use, there are some general guidelines . According to GreenviewFertilizer.com, you should apply approximately 16 seeds per square inch of tall fescue. The site says applying too many seeds close together forces seedlings to battle for nutrients and space. That can lead to thin grass coverage or weak grass that is more prone to the effects of extreme weather conditions such as frost and drought. The website AllAboutLawns.com suggests applying 16-22 seeds per square inch, as a general rule, when no recommendations are included on packaging. The site suggests dropping approximately 10 seeds per square inch on a first pass and dropping an equal amount on a second pass from another direction. If you want more specific information, the Better Homes and Gardens website features a grass seed calculator that estimates the amount of seed you need to apply. The calculator factors in seed type and square footage.

  Since you are not growing an entirely new lawn, stay on the lower end of the recommended rate. When grass grows, it germinates and drops seeds that develop into new grass. Therefore, a small amount of seed, over time, can result in several square feet of grass. In a sense, the amount of grass seed you use depends somewhat on your expectations. If you want to fill in a bare patch in a matter of weeks, you might apply more seed than someone who is satisfied with gradual spreading of grass. If you are concerned that overseeding might choke out some of the new seedlings, stay on the low side.