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Seed Ball Experiment

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Seed Ball Experiment
Swap Coordinator:BetsyPreston (contact)
Swap categories: Random Items  Challenges  Nature 
Number of people in swap:6
Location:Regional - USA ONLY
Type:Type 3: Package or craft
Last day to signup/drop:April 18, 2010
Date items must be sent by:May 17, 2010
Number of swap partners:3
Description:

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!

Discussion

pthalostars 03/30/2010 #

what an awesome idea for a swap!!! watching for now, i just bought a ton of seeds today!!

Frogglin 03/31/2010 #

I love the whole idea of seed balls, but never made one. I'd play if I could! GL with the swap :D

feedmeacat 03/31/2010 #

Remember that some species are okay in some states and INVASIVE in others! To be safe, you should get seeds from plants that you are absolutely sure are "garden-variety" (that you could look up in a catalog), or just buy seeds (which have been OK'd by regulatory agencies in order to be sold). I'd hate for someone's garden to get eaten by a Kudzilla monster =)

BetsyPreston 04/ 3/2010 #

SENDERS: Part of the reason for including the list of seeds you send is to give the recipient a chance to not plant the balls if you accidentally send an inappropriate seed. Have a care and please try to avoid sending problem plants. RECIPIENTS: if you receive something that you can't plant cuz it would cause problems, you're just gonna have to re-gift the balls. It's too much to expect people in Alaska to know what might cause a problem in Kentucky.

That said, I'm very excited about trying to make my first seedballs and I hope that some of you will join me!

funkylukecosmicart 04/ 9/2010 #

back in the swap.. broke my arm, but i think i can do this one handed..lol

BetsyPreston 04/16/2010 #

I bought my seeds yesterday! I'm thinking maybe this weekend I'll try to make my balls. Yikes! I've had the clay powder since January but I've been procrastinating cuz it's so different from anything I've tried before.

stregaluna 04/18/2010 #

hey, I'm having a hard time finding clay powder in less than 20 lb bags...any suggestions?

BetsyPreston 04/22/2010 #

Hmmmm. I found mine at a pottery supply store in Minneapolis, and they were able to sell me a 5# bag for about $2.50. It's a very small bag, probably cuz the stuff is so dense.

Have you tried the yellow pages looking for pottery or ceramics supply? Or maybe a place like Dick Blick or some other art supply store. Even if they don't have it, you might wanna ask if they can suggest a place. It's a long shot, but is there a community college or anything like that in your area that offers pottery classes? They might be able to suggest a place to get clay powder. I'm just trying to think outside the box who might be able to refer you to a supplier.

I left a loooong time between the sign up deadline and the sending date so that people would have more time to chase this stuff down. If you can't find any clay in the month or so of time there is, I should be able to angel.

BetsyPreston 04/23/2010 #

I just added a new link that stregaluna found to make the seed balls with paper instead of clay powder. The only special equipment you need is a common household blender, and the most exotic ingredient is newspaper.

I LOVE this! (Thanks, stregaluna!!!)

Clickable: Making Seed Bombs with NewsPaper

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

stregaluna 04/24/2010 #

yw....I can't wait to give it a go!

BetsyPreston 04/24/2010 #

Well, I got together with one of the local swap partners and we made our balls today. They have to dry for a day or three before going postal.

So far, so good!

stregaluna 04/30/2010 #

I made a batch yesterday. I used shredded office paper. I filled the blender with paper shreds and pour about 3/4 C of hot water over it. I used two batches of paper slurry, one handful of potting soil and seeds. Over all not too bad. I'm worried the paper with start to sprout before it's dry enough!

BetsyPreston 05/ 1/2010 #

That's the biggest concern I have about that "recipe" too. I noticed that she squeezes out the water with a cloth. I imagine it's still pretty damp after that, tho, so premature sprouting is a risk.

I hope to try this recipe soon. I mailed my "clay" balls today.

NorthernBorder 05/ 3/2010 #

great idea

funkylukecosmicart 05/ 4/2010 #

hi guys.. i broke my wrist so i am sending the seeds and goodies.. i dont want to flake out,but i cant get them round with one hand.. they look like little sick pancakes.. hope that is ok

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