A question about seed balls

[Smiles Jr.]

I finally am getting around to making some seed balls to try. I think I know how and I know what seed I'm going to try. My question is what kind of clay to use and where to buy it. I have my compost very dry and sifted into a coarse flour consistency - I have some nasturtium seeds ready to go into the mix. Now I need some pottery clay in powder form.

We have a "wild" area of our front yard out by the road that is an irregular shape about 100'x100' on a slope and we would like to try some wild flowers there as an experiment with seed balls.

By the way, we have some friends who live over in the city who have been tossing seed balls out of their car window at the interstate highway exit ramp near the stop sign. The flowers have come up for about 4 years now and they are beautiful. The highway mowing folks avoid this area and I guess they are enjoying the flowers also. Our friends call it their "stealth garden".

 

[thistlebloom]

Thats the first I've heard of seed balls Smiles. Can you elaborate?

 

[journey11]

By the way, we have some friends who live over in the city who have been tossing seed balls out of their car window at the interstate highway exit ramp near the stop sign. The flowers have come up for about 4 years now and they are beautiful. The highway mowing folks avoid this area and I guess they are enjoying the flowers also. Our friends call it their "stealth garden".

That's so cool.

I've never heard of them either. Is it just a means of dispersing the seed then? Show us a pic when you're done, pretty please?

 

[gettinaclue]

I read somewhere that a lady had a neighbor who had nothing but clay in his fenced backyard and didn't care to do anything about it. She took to throwing seed balls over the fense everyday as she walked her dog.

I wish I could remember what she put in them, but said the back half of his yard became a beautiful wildflower garden

 

[Smiles Jr.]

Obviously I don't know all there is to know about seed balls but I studied this way of planting several years ago and found it very interesting. You can google "seed balls" and you can search on youtube to find tons of information. Evidently a Japanese guy discovered this way of planting many years ago.

Basically you mix clay, compost, seeds, and sometimes a tiny amount of lime or manure, and water. There are several ways to make the balls but I plan to do it by hand at first. The recipe for amounts are available in many places on-line.

You make small balls of this dough, allow them to dry thoroughly, and toss them anywhere you want the seeds to grow.

The seeds are protected from insects, and critters (over winter small critters like mice eat everything in sight under the canopy of grass and weeds - seeds make up the biggest portion of their diet in winter) while waiting for the climate and moisture to get "right" for germination. Spring rains soften the balls and the clay (which has not been fired) will dissolve and allow the seeds, fertilizer, and compost to do their thing in their own little environment. Soon the roots grow down into the soil and you have a healthy plant on mother nature's time table.

Some folks use seed balls to plant their vegetable and flower gardens. Just make a slight groove in the soil, toss a seed ball at specific intervals, and you're done. No need to cover the seed balls.

 

[thistlebloom]

I find this fascinating, when my project list gets caught up (ha!) I'd love to try this. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

 

[Collector]

Interesting idea, I am always finding out about new things here.
Hope you post pics of the seed balls when they are done!