Discover the Magic of Seed Balls

Want a delightful and eco-friendly gardening project that everyone can enjoy? Discover the magic of seed balls! Our guide shares the simple steps to create these miniature plant starters.

What Exactly Are Seed Balls?

Imagine tiny packages brimming with potential! Seed balls are exactly that – small spheres made from a blend of seeds, protective clay, and nourishing soil or compost. While their history stretches back to ancient times, seed balls experienced a resurgence in the 1930s thanks to the Guerilla Gardening movement. They offered a clever way to introduce plant life, even through aerial dispersal! Today, they’re still valuable for re-greening areas after wildfires. On a smaller scale, crafting seed balls is a fun, affordable way to sow native plants and vibrant flowers.

Choosing the Perfect Seeds:

Wildflower seeds are fantastic for seed balls because they naturally self-sow and their young plants are resilient and low-maintenance. Native wildflower seeds are an especially smart choice, as they’re perfectly adapted to your local climate and provide essential food for native pollinators. However, you can certainly use non-native wildflowers too, like cheerful red poppies. 

A Few Seed Suggestions to Get You Started:

• Cosmos: Renowned for their ease of growth from seed. In fact, gardening wisdom says if cosmos elude you, perhaps another hobby beckons!

• Milkweed: A vital food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars. Use your seed balls to cultivate these important plants where these migrating beauties can lay their eggs.

• Red Poppies: A poignant symbol of remembrance, these vibrant blooms are easy to grow and add striking splashes of red to any landscape.

• Coreopsis: Highly adaptable to various soil types and light conditions, coreopsis plants become remarkably drought-tolerant once they’re established.

• Coneflower: A favorite of both butterflies and birds, the purple coneflower is also exceptionally drought-tolerant once it takes root.

Ready to Roll? Here’s What You’ll Need:

Materials:

• Clay (available at most craft stores)
• Compost or potting soil
• Your chosen seeds (opt for easy-to-grow or native varieties)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1). Measure out your ingredients:

• 5 parts clay
• 1 part compost or potting soil
• 1 part seeds

2). Combine the clay and compost. If the mixture seems dry, add a little water until it reaches a consistency similar to cookie dough – moist but not sticky.

3). Add your seeds to the clay and compost mixture. Use your hands to thoroughly combine everything.

4). Shape the mixture into small balls, about the size of a golf ball.

5). You can plant your seed balls immediately while they are still damp, or let them air dry for later use.

6). Identify bare patches in your yard or community that could benefit from some greenery. Simply toss or place your seed balls directly onto the soil. With natural rainfall or a little manual watering, the clay will break down, and your seeds will begin to grow!

This guide is inspired by the resources and educational materials provided by KidsGardening.org, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting garden-based learning.