Seed Ball Experiment

Swap Summary

3 partners. Make 30 seed balls, and send 10 balls to each partner.

What are Seed Balls?

The idea of seed balls is to beautify empty lots and other sites of urban blight. The method is to make a small ball containing soil, seeds, and some clay and water to hold it together. You pitch the balls into an empty lot, then rain melts the balls freeing the seeds and the soil to grow into beautiful plants. Or, you could plant the balls in your own yard or patio pots. I thought this would be perfect idea to celebrate the coming of Spring!

This idea is inspired by Keri Smith's Guerilla Art Kit. If you happen to have a copy or can find one, there are instructions on page 45.

USA ONLY - there are customs and environmental issues sending seeds internationally.

About seed balls

http://www.guerrillagardening.org/ggseedbombs.html

Video Instructions

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2008/apr/25/seedbombing

New Link using Paper Not Clay (thanks stregaluna)

http://mademoisellechaos.blogspot.com/2010/03/make-your-own-seed-bombs.html

Ingredients

• 1 part seed
• 3 parts potting soil or compost
• 5 parts red or brown clay powder (try ceramic or pottery supply stores)
• small amount of water to moisten the mix

Instructions

• In a bucket, mix the seeds and the potting soil together.
• Add the clay and mix again. Your clay packaging may include scaree warnings, but this is intended for potters and others who will have repeated exposures to breathing the clay dust over long periods of time. Please take a bit of care not to breath the dust, but don't be overly concerned.
• Add water a small bit at a time (maybe 1 tablespoon each time), stirring until you have just enough to hold the mess together.
• Form it into balls about as big around as a quarter.
• Set on tray in the sun (a windowsill is fine) to dry for at least 24 hours.

Rating

This is my first time attempting to make seed balls, and I am considering this an experiment. You must attempt to make some kind of seed balls. If they are a complete disaster (they don't stick together, they run into mud pies), you may send what you can (the remains of your failure, some pictures of the disaster, maybe some plain seeds as a consolation) along with an explanation of what happened. Full credit for either successful seed ball construction and delivery, or demonstration of equivalent effort including documentation of the failure.

Also, please include a list of the seeds and your reasons for choosing them (marigolds and basil; they were 10-cents a pack, I love wildflowers, they're from my grandma's garden, etc).

Please don't be a slacker, and please don't be overly critical. Let's keep this fun and be willing to take a risk!