Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Holy Cow! *Lightbulb* Seed Balls!!

I get it. I get it. Finally!

Seed balls (a.k.a. "seed bombs") are a sure-fire way of introducing and establishing native plants - from seed. As quoted from the very cool website, Path to Freedom, "seeds balls are a great way to seed waste areas in your yard."

Being that our land has been a construction zone for years - that's us! The site adds, "They (are) useful for seeding dry, thin and compacted soils and for reclaiming derelict ground. This method takes a fraction of the time or cost of other methods to cover large areas and is also very applicable in small areas."

The seed balls, a mix of compost, clay and native wildflower seeds, prevent the seeds from drying up, blowing away or being eaten by birds and the like. They are especially successful in areas with low rainfall.

You don't even need to bury them - just 'bomb' the area with seed balls by setting them on top of the ground. Here are very simple instructions to make your own, from the Path to Freedom website.

Or, you can purchase pre-made seeds balls here.
I just picked up some terracotta clay at lunchtime. I have black-eyed susan and echinacea seeds at home. I may also try sunflowers. Desperately waiting for 5 o'clock to roll around - when The Man releases me from his grip and I can go p-l-a-y!

2 comments:

Tree hugging said...

Yes, those folks out west seem to be ahead of us on the use of native plants. Unfortunately, that means that many of the products, like the one you've shown, contain mainly western natives instead of Eastern ones.

Tracey said...

Yes, indeed.

That's why I'm makin' mine . . . can't wait to bomb my yard . . .