Forage Seed Mixture Calculator

Grassland species are normally seeded in mixtures rather than monocultures. In theory, seeding rates for mixtures are simply a sum of the amount of pure live seed (PLS) of each seed lot in the mix, an amount sufficient to ensure establishment and survival of each species.

Mixtures can be complex because of the number of species used (especially in conservation and reclamation programs) and variations in seed purity and seed size. Soil limitations and seeding equipment settings need to be considered and in Canada, a metric conversion may be required.

This calculator will calculate a mix and estimate a seed density for drills or broadcast seedings for any grouping of plant species in the list. Some mixtures will not flow through all drills, some species and mixtures may not grow in your area. Do not waste seed. Consult a knowledgable seed or forage specialist for an appropriate species mixture.

The Forage Seed Mixture Calculator is also available as a downloadable .xlt file. You will require Excel to run this version of the calculator.

To start, enter the area of land to be seeded, choose a seeding method from the drop down list, then select a seeding rate. Select the row spacing if the seed will be drilled in rows.

Enter area estimate:	Acres
Choose a seeding method:
Choose a row spacing:	inches
Choose a PLS seeding rate:	PLSeeds/ft of row

For detailed information about seeding rates see the Seeding Rate Table.

This information is maintained by Gordon Hutton