Introduction: Making a Seed Bomb With Native Plants
Hello! This is a guide on how to make a Seed Bomb with Native Plants! Seed bombs are clay balls filled with seeds and compost, which can be discreetly dropped onto a patch of dirt in a parking lot or sidewalk. These balls of clay do not need to be buried because their clay shell protects them from both birds and the nastier elements. This particular Seed Ball uses native plant seeds, so that your guerilla gardening adventures not only beautify your surroundings, but also help to re-wild them for the native animals that depend on these plants.
Step 1: Materials
For this activity you will need Clay, Compost, Native Plant Seeds, and Water.
In the image you can see all of these materials, the native plant seed in question being the seed pod of a Trumpet Vine. When the seed pod is split appart you can find dozens of small paperlike seeds inside. A good time to look for any native plant seed is late summer or fall. If you cannot find any in your area you may inquire at a garden store about their native plant seeds, or order native plant seeds online.
When choosing a plant be mindful of how "hardy" it is, meaning how well it resists draught or over watering. The goal is to find a very hardy plant so that it will flourish no matter the circumstance
http://www.prairiemoon.com/ This is a good website for finding native plant seeds
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/ And this is a good website for finding the plants Native to your area
In the image you can see all of these materials, the native plant seed in question being the seed pod of a Trumpet Vine. When the seed pod is split appart you can find dozens of small paperlike seeds inside. A good time to look for any native plant seed is late summer or fall. If you cannot find any in your area you may inquire at a garden store about their native plant seeds, or order native plant seeds online.
When choosing a plant be mindful of how "hardy" it is, meaning how well it resists draught or over watering. The goal is to find a very hardy plant so that it will flourish no matter the circumstance
http://www.prairiemoon.com/ This is a good website for finding native plant seeds
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/ And this is a good website for finding the plants Native to your area
Step 2: First Step
Once you have gotten your seeds spread out all your materials and begin by making a small ball of clay then press it into a flat disk.
Step 3: Second Step
After you have your flat disk of clay put a pinch of compost in the middle of your disk
Step 4: Third Step
After you have your disk of clay with a small mound of compost in the middle add your seeds, only 10 or so per seed bomb.
Step 5: Fourth Step
Once you have all of these steps add a few drops of water and gently fold the disk in half like a taco, and then roll the taco back into a sphere, being carful to only leave clay on the outside,
Step 6: Fifth Step
Now that you have your completed seed bomb sphere, leave it somewhere where the moisture in the clay can leave and dry out. Give them about 24 hours.
Step 7: Sixth Step
For the Final step of this project you will want to find a suitable location to drop your seed bomb. Pictured above is a patch of dirt with no planty occupants. This sort of situation is ideal, but remember to refer to your plants particular growing habits when choosing a spot. For example when planting a vine or climber find a nice fence or tree or when planting a waterloving plant place near parking lots where much storm rain will find it.
Because you are using native plants further care after germination should be unnecisary. Most native plant balls need to be dropped in fall because they require winter temperatures to germinate, and they should sprout and begin to grow in early spring.
Because you are using native plants further care after germination should be unnecisary. Most native plant balls need to be dropped in fall because they require winter temperatures to germinate, and they should sprout and begin to grow in early spring.