STEP ONE:  INGREDIENTS

A. Dry terracotta clay, finely ground and sifted through a strainer to remove large chunks of clay.  Amount: 1 1/4 cup

B. Dry organic compost.  Amount: 3/4 cup

C. 1/4 cup assorted seeds. Various wildflower & vegetable seeds can be used.

STEP TWO: Mix B & C together.  (Seed mixed with dry compost.)

STEP THREE: Add A to B & C mix. Blend everything together well.  Next, mist water onto the mixture while stirring.  Spray just enough water to allow the mixture to stick/bind together.

STEP FOUR: Take a pinch of the finished mixture and roll (in the palm of your hand) into penny-sized round balls.

STEP FIVE: Put seed balls in the sun to dry completely for a day or two.

STEP SIX: Broadcast seed balls onto dirt area.  Water or wait for rain to allow seeds to germinate.

Makes approximately 30-40 balls

Seeds are starting to come up…

ENJOY THE RESULTS!!!

Suggested seeds to attract beneficial insects:

Clover, alfalfa, alyssum, nasturtium, yarrow, carrot, dill, daikon, celery, radish, fennel, caraway, chervil, gypsophila, coriander, calendula, mustard, anise hyssop, phacelia, agastache, and amaranth.

Note: Please be advised to check with your local nursery or agriculture agency to determine which beneficial, native plant species would best serve the habitat which you are trying to restore.   Nonnative invader species that are proven voracious spreaders should never be used as a tool of ecological restoration.

Application rate
A minimum of ten seed balls per square metre, a higher density may be required to reclaim derelict land.

Original article Here

Seed balls, simply put, are a method for distributing seeds by encasing them in a mixture of clay and compost. This protects the seeds by preventing them from drying out in the sun, getting eaten by birds, or from blowing away.

Seed balls are scattered directly on the ground, not planted. Self-sufficiency and sustainability website Path To Freedom says seed balls are useful for seeding dry, thin and compacted soils and for reclaiming derelict ground (which is why they are often used in guerilla gardening). Seed balls are particularly useful in dry and arid areas where rainfall is highly unpredictable. I like ‘em because they’re easy to chuck over fences into empty lots.

You can “sow” your seed balls on a sunny day – and just leave them. When sufficient rain has permeated the clay, the seeds inside sprout and are aided by the nutrients and beneficial soil microbes surrounding them. I put one (shown above) in my garden so I can track its progress and show my readers that – yes! – seed balls do actually work.

In fact, the seed ball method has been working for centuries. I’ve read that some North American First Nations’ tribes used seed balls. More recently natural farming pioneer Masanobu Fukuoka has experimented with them. And in New York City, seed bombs were used in 1973’s revitalization of the Bowery neighborhood and the development of the city’s first community garden.

So there you have it. The Heavy Petal version of seed ball history. Now go play outside!

Original article HERE

interview with Masanobu Fukuoka