From a target seeding rate (seeds or pounds per acre), compute total seed to buy — and round up to whole bags so you never come up short mid-planting.
The example
34,000 seeds/ac × 50 ac.
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Item | Value |
| 2 | Total seeds | 1,700,000 |
| 3 | Bags (80k/bag) | → 22 |
The formula
The formula:
How it works
How it works:
- Multiply seeding rate by acres for total seeds (or pounds) needed.
- Divide by seeds per bag and ROUNDUP — partial bags round to a whole bag.
- Adjust rate for germination:
desired_stand / germ_rateraises the rate to hit the target stand. - For drilled crops, convert lbs/acre using seeds-per-pound for the variety.
Round seed up, always. Running short by half a bag in the middle of planting means a second trip, a gap in the field, or a mismatched seed lot. ROUNDUP(total/bag_size, 0) buys the whole next bag — cheap insurance. And build the germination adjustment in: at 90% germ, you need to drop ~11% more seed to hit your target stand.
Try it: interactive demo
Rate, acres, seeds per bag.
Variations
Bags to buy
Round up:
Germination adjust
Hit the target stand:
Seed cost
Bags × price:
Pitfalls & errors
Round up bags. ROUNDUP so you never run short.
Germination. Raise the rate by dividing by germ % to hit the target stand.
Units. Seeds/acre vs lbs/acre — convert with seeds-per-pound.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate seed needed in Excel?
How do I adjust for germination?
Why round seed up?
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