There are a lot of reasons to make your own seed bombs:
- Garden in hard-to-reach areas
- Beautify a barren lot with a floral explosion
- Garden in an area that’s otherwise “restricted”
- Start seeds in a creative and organized way in your own garden
There are a lot of different ways to make your own seed bombs, but we’ll go over the simplest and easiest method in this article: the classic clay seed bomb. It’s extremely easy to make in bulk and you can get it done with only four ingredients.
P.S. If you want to skip the process and buy these for a friend, check out this 3 pack of organic seed bombs (edible flowers, salad greens, and herbs).
Step 1: Gather the Materials
Everything you need to make seed bombs can be found for free, but you might find it useful to pick up a couple of things from the store if you want to make a lot of these bad boys.
- Clay – If you can get clay from your local area, go for it. Otherwise the best option is Crayola Air Dry Clay or get a seed bomb matrix.
- Water – Simple tap water is best. Used to form clay.
- Seeds – Try to use seeds native to your area. They will grow better and not act as invasive species.
- Compost – Using compost or worm castings will do. Used to provide a nutrient-rich growing environment for seeds.
- Container – You need a flat, smooth surface to prep your seed bombs.
Step 2: Cut the Clay
Cut a thin piece of clay out of the mix. Remember, the thinner that you make your cut, the easier it will be to press and shape into a seed bomb.
Step 3: Shape the Clay
Press the clay down on a large flat surface to about 1cm or 1/2 inch thick.
Cut it to about 2.5 inches wide and 2 inches long.
Step 4: Add the Compost
Begin to sprinkle a fine layer of compost into the surface of the clay. Make sure to get full coverage here and add a good amount of compost – this will increase the seeds chance of germination.
Step 5: Add the Seeds
Add anywhere from 2-5 seeds to the mix. Be generous with your seeds to make sure that you get germination. The last thing you want is to make a seed bomb that doesn’t “explode”!
Step 6: Add the Water
Add just a few drops of water to the mixture. Any more and it will become waterlogged and kill any chance you had of seed germination. Be careful not to add too much water.
Step 7: Mold Into Seed Bomb
Get ready to get dirty. Scrape the clay off of your flat surface with your fingers and roll into a ball. Make sure you keep the compost and seeds in the center and avoid any spilling.
Step 8: Coat With Compost
If you want your seeds to have the best chance of growing, coat all of your seed bombs in an outer layer of compost. The best way to do this is to drop each seed bomb in a pot of compost and coat it up to five times.
Step 9: Bomb Your Neighborhood!
Let your seed bombs air dry first, then take them out into the streets! You can carry a LOT of these with you wherever you go and chuck them in neglected areas.
If it’s an area that doesn’t get water regularly, you’ll need to make sure to water your guerilla garden, so make sure it’s convenient for you (like on your walk to work)!
Go forth and bomb the Earth with seeds of change!
Images courtesy of treesneedtobehugged
