How much grass seed do I need for 5,000 square feet?
Seeding 5,000 square feet from bare soil takes 40 lb of tall fescue (2 bags of 20 lb), 15 lb of Kentucky bluegrass, or 7.5 lb of Bermuda. Overseeding an existing lawn uses about half: 20 lb of tall fescue or 7.5 lb of bluegrass. The exact amount depends on the grass more than anything else.
Grass seed for 5,000 square feet by type
| Grass | New lawn | Overseeding | 20 lb bags (new) | 50 lb bags (new) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tall fescue | 40.0 lb | 20.0 lb | 2 | 1 |
| Kentucky bluegrass | 15.0 lb | 7.5 lb | 1 | 1 |
| Perennial ryegrass | 40.0 lb | 20.0 lb | 2 | 1 |
| Fine fescue | 25.0 lb | 12.5 lb | 2 | 1 |
| Sun and shade mix | 30.0 lb | 15.0 lb | 2 | 1 |
| Bermuda | 7.5 lb | 3.8 lb | 1 | 1 |
| Zoysia | 10.0 lb | 5.0 lb | 1 | 1 |
Rates follow university extension recommendations for pure, uncoated seed. Coated seed is roughly half seed by weight, so double the amount if the bag says coated.
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Picking seed for 5,000 square feet
Tall fescue is the default for most of the country: deep roots, decent shade tolerance, and it establishes fast. Kentucky bluegrass makes the thickest northern lawn but needs full sun and twice the time to germinate. Perennial ryegrass sprouts in a week and is often blended in for quick cover. In the South, Bermuda and zoysia use a fraction of the seed per square foot but must be sown once soil tops 65 °F. At this size, price matters: 1 bags of 50 lb tall fescue at $100 to $150 each is $100 to $150, while bluegrass at 15 lb costs less in seed but more in water and patience.
Prep and supplies for 5,000 square feet
- Starter fertilizer: about 20 lb of a high-phosphorus starter, applied the same day as the seed.
- Straw or seed blanket: 5 bales of straw cover roughly 5,000 square feet at a bale per 1,000 square feet, or 5,500 square feet of erosion blanket on slopes.
- Topsoil: if the grade is low or the soil is poor, 2 to 4 inches of topsoil is 53.2 cubic yards at 3 inches. See the topsoil calculator.
- Water: 5,000 square feet needs about 775 gallons per light watering (1/4 inch), two or three times a day until germination. Check that your well or meter can keep up.
- Timing: late August to mid-September for cool-season grasses; late spring for Bermuda and zoysia.
Want it green this week instead of in six? Compare the cost of sod for the same area.
Common questions
How many pounds of grass seed for 5,000 square feet?
40 lb of tall fescue or perennial ryegrass, 15 lb of Kentucky bluegrass, 25 lb of fine fescue, or 7.5 lb of hulled Bermuda for a new lawn. Overseeding uses about half those amounts.
How many bags of grass seed do I need for 5,000 square feet?
2 bags of 20 lb or 1 bags of 50 lb for a new tall fescue lawn. For Kentucky bluegrass, 1 bags of 20 lb. Buy one extra bag for bare spots that show up in the first month.
How much does it cost to seed 5,000 square feet?
About $90 to $140 in tall fescue seed at store prices, plus $24 or so for starter fertilizer. Hydroseeding by a contractor runs about 10 to 20 cents per square foot, or $500 to $1,000 for this area.