If you’re like me, you typically use a calculator to figure out how many pounds of wheat you need for your food plot. Planting the right amount of seed will not only ensure a successful planting, but will also help you save money from overspending on seed.
You need about 140 – 180 lbs. of wheat per acre. However, the amount of wheat that you need to plant per acre will vary based on several conditions. For example, are you broadcasting your seed on the ground or planting with a drill? If you use a drill to plant the seed then you won’t need as much seed as if you were broadcasting it. Also, it’s important to know if the seedbed is free of weeds or other plants. If your oats are going to be competing with other plants then you will need less seed than if you were planting in a seedbed that’s free of plants.
There are other considerations to keep in mind when deciding how much seed you need. On the bag of seed you are buying, there will be a seed label with important information on it. Make sure you take a look at the percentage of seed that is in that bag and the germination rates of that seed. Other factors such as weather, ground conditions, and time of year when planting will also influence how much seed you should plant. Lastly, if you are mixing your wheat with another seed like clover then you will need much less seed.
Planting food plots is an imperfect science. Once you plant your oats and they start to grow, you can reflect on how good you did and make adjustments to make it better.
With that being said, in the table below I compiled a list that will tell you how much seed you need to plant based on the size of your food plot.
I also attached a link at the bottom of the page to show you the wheat that I buy for my food plots.
This is how many pounds of wheat seed you need per acre
Plot size | Wheat (lbs./acre) | |
Acres | Drilled | Broadcast |
1/4 acre | 35 | 45 |
1/2 acre | 70 | 90 |
1 acre | 140 | 180 |
2 acres | 280 | 360 |
3 acres | 420 | 540 |
4 acres | 560 | 720 |
5 acres | 700 | 900 |
6 acres | 840 | 1,080 |
7 acres | 980 | 1,260 |
8 acres | 1,120 | 1,440 |
9 acres | 1,260 | 1,620 |
10 acres | 1,400 | 1,800 |
11 acres | 1,540 | 1,980 |
12 acres | 1,680 | 2,160 |
13 acres | 1,820 | 2,340 |
14 acres | 1,960 | 2,520 |
15 acres | 2,100 | 2,700 |
16 acres | 2,240 | 2,880 |
17 acres | 2,380 | 3,060 |
18 acres | 2,520 | 3,240 |
19 acres | 2,660 | 3,420 |
20 acres | 2,800 | 3,600 |