Steve Albert
Vegetable seed for home gardens is often sold by weight–by the ounce or by the gram or by fractions of ounces and grams.
Some seed sellers sell by the piece–1 seed per penny, for example. But seeds sold in packets–especially those sold in stores–commonly list the weight, but not the number of seeds.
When buying seed by weight, keep in mind:
• The weight of a number of seeds for a specific vegetable crop can vary by variety or cultivar.
• One ounce equals 28 grams.
Estimated number of vegetable seeds by ounce or gram:
Here are estimates of the number of seeds in an ounce or gram by crop. These estimates are based on a survey of several seed sellers. (These are estimates. To be certain the number of seed in a seed packet sold by weight, count the seed.)
| Vegetable | Seeds per Ounce | Seeds per Gram |
| Artichoke | 200 | 7-8 |
| Arugula | 14,200 | 500 |
| Asparagus | 680-1400 | 24-50 |
| Basil | 1700-18,400 | 600-650 |
| Bean, Broad | 25-30 | 1 |
| Bean, Bush | 50-280 | 2-10 |
| Bean, Pole | 25-30 | 1 |
| Beets | 1134-1700 | 40-60 |
| Broccoli | 9000 | 315 |
| Brussels Sprouts | 7600 | 270 |
| Cabbage, Chinese | 11,350-34,000 | 400-750 |
| Cabbage | 2800-10,300 | 190-300 |
| Carrot | 11,300-34,000 | 400-1200 |
| Cauliflower | 7100-9900 | 250-350 |
| Celery | 56,700-70,900 | 2000-2500 |
| Chard | 1100-3700 | 40-130 |
| Chicory | 5700-25,500 | 600-900 |
| Chives, Onion | 5700-7000 | 200-250 |
| Chives, Garlic | 7000 | 250 |
| Coriander | 2000-2500 | 70-90 |
| Corn | 225-290 | 8-10 |
| Corn Salad | 1980-18,350 | 700-1000 |
| Cowpea | 205 | 7 |
| Cucumber | 850-1200 | 30-45 |
| Dill | 25,000 | 900 |
| Eggplant | 5700-7100 | 200-250 |
| Endive | 25,500 | 900 |
| Fennel | 8500 | 300 |
| Gourd | 850 | 30 |
| Jicama | 140 | 5 |
| Kale | 7100-8500 | 250-300 |
| Kohlrabi | 7100 | 250 |
| Leek | 9500-11,200 | 340-400 |
| Lettuce | 17,000-34,000 | 600-1200 |
| Marjoram | 340,200 | 12,000 |
| Mitsuba | 14,200 | 500 |
| Mizuna | 8500-11,400 | 300-400 |
| Mustard | 9900-17,000 | 350-600 |
| Nasturium | 200 | 7-8 |
| Okra | 425-700 | 15-25 |
| Onion | 7000-11,300 | 250-400 |
| Oregano | 24,500 | |
| Parsley | 1400-1700 | 500-600 |
| Parsnip | 4000-5700 | 140-200 |
| Pea | 90-175 | 4-5 |
| Pepper | 4200-5700 | 150-200 |
| Pumpkin | 100-300 | 8-15 |
| Radish | 2500-4000 | 90-140 |
| Rhubarb | 1700-2300 | 60-80 |
| Rosemary | 25,500 | 900 |
| Sage | 7100 | 250 |
| Spinach | 2000-2300 | 70-80 |
| Squash | 200-425 | 7-15 |
| Sunflower | 280-570 | 10-20 |
| Thyme | 17,000 | 6000 |
| Tomato | 7000-11,500 | 250-380 |
| Turnip | 8500-12,800 | 300-450 |
| Watermelon | 170-560 | 6-20 |
| Zucchini | 55-280 | 2-10 |
Thank you for compiling this information. I’m working on a seed order for the farm I’m volunteering on. We did the seed inventory by weighing the seeds. I know weights vary from cultivar to cultivar, but I was just looking for a rough estimate. This page is perfect for what I need.
Thanks for your note. Very happy this helped.
We sell all of our seeds by estimated count rather than specific weights. This makes packaging much easier to do manually, using regular measuring spoons. It is amazing how some seeds are so small that 1/8 of a Tsp = nearly 2,000 seeds.
Thank you for compiling this information. This page is perfect for what I need.
Your welcome and thanks for readying Harvest to Table.
This chart is very informative and helpful in future purchases.
Thanks
Thanks for reading Harvest to Table!
Good to see quality data readily available.
Thank you for reading Harvest to Table!
good work. It is easy to know your estimate when planting
Thanks for reading Harvest to Table.
What a joy to have found this page! I am now able to lay out my 100′ rows with good sound estimates of seeds per feet! Thank you very much!
The corn seed count seems to be a bit off. I’ve found a couple of sources for silver queen corn which say that is has around 2000 seeds per lb. Using your table I calculate somewhere around twice this number.
Thank for your wonderful estimate.
Hi ! Excellent info !!!
Do you also happen to have some (average) data on germination rates for different seeds ?
Living in the middle-of-nowhere, in a jungle in Laos…all seeds has to be imported, so that data would be really helpful.
Thanks and Cheers, Chris
Seed germination is affected by many factors, the most notable are (1) correct depth of sowing, (2) sufficient moisture to allow the seed cover to break or crack, (3) soil temperature, optimal about 70F, (4) sufficient light, and (5) age of the seed–most seeds are viable for at least 3 years. You can get an average germination rate for most seed, by giving them the right growing conditions–as outline above–then planting 10 seeds and noting when and how many germinate.
Hi ! Thanks for a quick answer.
I agree to all info in your answer. I was however hoping for some “ready-made” data, if someone had already done a compilation.
Keep up the Good Work ! Cheers, Chris
You may also want to check the website of the seed company you are buying seed from. Sometimes–not often–the seed company will guarantee a percentage of a seed packets germination.
How many trays woild a 10 grams pack of seeds will give me?
The answer to your question depends on the size of the trays–if they are trays with individual cells, sow 2 seeds per cell. The answer also depends on the variety of seed in the packet. A bean seed packet may contain 25 to 50 seeds depending upon the seed company; a radish seed packet may contain 50 to 100 seeds depending on the seed company. Check the seed company’s website; it may tell you how many seeds are in each packet.
You just helped me complete my Undergraduate Practical File which was asking for Seed Weight which infact again requires Seed weight of 1000 seeds… So I back calculated the answer using your Seed weight chart and works perfect. Thank You so much for helping me out 🙂
Thanks for reading Harvest to Table. Best wishes for your studies.
Love your book!
Thanks! I wrote The Kitchen Garden Growers’ Guide for quick answers to questions that kept coming up season after season. There’s a lot to remember as a gardener; it’s nice to have quick answers in one place. Thanks again!
bagaimana cara membeli benih lombok secara online
Terima kasih
The question is: how to buy lombok seeds online?
Answer: To purchase medicinal plants from Lombok Island (located in Indonesia) you would first need to specify the plant you wish to purchase and identify the botanical name for that plant. You could then do a online search using the botanical name.
Customers ask for number of seeds in packages but some of them are in grams therefor i need a source for calculating number of them. Your table is what i needed. Many thanks for sharing this table with us.
Hi,Thanks for this it will help me so much since i operate a plant clinic and I always encountered questions from farmers, asking me to give them an estimate of the seeds in 10 gram pack.
This helps them to to know how much land it will cover.
Your work sounds very interesting. Thank you for reading Harvest to Table.
Thanks for the heads up.
Just out of curiousity, I am buying a cherry tomato – Lilliput F1 and they sell in pack os 0.15 grams. How many seeds approximately will this translate to?
There about 350 cherry tomato seeds per gram. There will be about 53 seeds in pack that weighs 0.15 grams.
How many seeds does 50g Gloria contain?
Can you be more specific about the plant “Gloria” — this is a common name; can you send us the botanical name?
we sell our seeds by the ounce. https://www.seedcradle.com
Such a FABULOUS resource.
Doing up a Farm Business plan and glad google showed me this!
Hi, Thanks for the information .
How many seeds of Tomatoes,Cumbers and lettuce will be need for a 50m² garden.
The seeds you will need will depend on how many of each plant you want to grow and whether you plan to plant plants in single rows or wide rows. Read the “How to Grow” articles at this site on each crop you want to grow; each article will give you recommended spacing.
Happy to have the data, but I am very concerned about the cowpea value. Other sources, such as Purdue, give a value of 3000-4000 seeds/lb, which is about 250 per oz, not 1420. 50 cowpeas in a gram is not accurate. Do you mind providing your source for these data? I am applying for a grant, and I appreciate your format, but I would like to be able to reference your original source, unless you collected it yourself. Thank you!
Very very Thanks for informations.
Very insightful. Very much appreciative of the information put afore.
Thanks very much.
This table is great for online seed shops like us, as well as our customers.
Thanks!
Great information thanks