Have you ever heard of seed bombs? Basically, they are balls made out of clay, compost, and seeds. They can be tossed anywhere you have a large area you’d like to cover with flowers, etc. Apparently, seed bombs were first used in the 70’s to “bomb” large vacant lots in New York City with flowers–they called it guerrilla gardening– awesome!
If you have a large area you would like to cover in flowers, but don’t want to take the time to scatter seeds, seed bombs might be the perfect solution. Plus, they are super duper easy and cheap to make.
You’ll need:
- Clay {Crayola Air Dry Clay is a pretty cheap option}
- Water
- Seeds {flowers native to your area are the best choice so that they will require very little maintenance}
- Compost
- Large Flat Surface
Mix 5 parts clay with 1 part compost and 1 part seeds. Add a couple of drops of water {be careful not to add too much or it will be a gooey mess}. Roll and knead the mixture into a ball. After you have thoroughly mixed the dough, flatten it out and cut into pieces. Roll the smaller pieces into little balls. Now you have seed bombs. Toss them into your open area and do nothing but wait for them to grow. Easy Peasy.
Julie says
What a cute idea! Definitely something I will try with my little guy one of these days. I will say, though, I’m seeing that packet of morning glory seeds and thinking you’d better not throw one of those seed bombs in my yard! I’ve been dealing with invasive morning glory since we moved here 2 years ago and would never ever ever plant it. But that’s probably how Seattlites feel about me planting blackberry bushes in my backyard this year 😉
cptacek says
Yes, I agree. I was going to comment “please throw them around YOUR yard with abandon, but don’t trespass on my yard. Maybe I like my yard the way it is, and you don’t have any say in how it looks.” Even “abandoned” lots are owned by someone, and should not have possibly invasive species introduced because some nut likes what bindweed looks like.
Katrina says
Bindweed and Morning Glory are actually two different plants, even though a lot of people call Bindweed, Morning Glory. Bindweed is nasty stuff- they dug up an area for a stadium in my home valley and found a root of bindweed that stretched forty feet (or more). It is invasive and hard to kill — I know, I’m battling it in my garden, right now!
Morning Glory is a little different. The blooms are larger than bindweed blooms, and it is really a beautiful plant. Even though it can grow here, the best plant I’ve seen is in the Northwest (sounds like where Mavis is).
Having said that, it’s generally not a good idea to plant anything on someone else’s property without asking, but I don’t think that was the message Mavis was trying to send, anyway. 🙂
cptacek says
Perhaps that’s not the message she was trying to send, but that is the message quite a few people picked up on.
Kristina says
How do they spread out?
sue says
Kristina, they will germinate, create flowers, set seeds, and then bugs and birds will harvest and help spread. Some plants, like California Poopy will actually catapult their seed up to 30 feet when the pod dries out and the seams burst. I’m making poppy seed bombs for a grocery store development that was supposed to landscape a hillside along the parking lot, but they never did. 10 years later, the hill is covered in weeds only. Poppy bombs will help me spread the seed in the steep hill. Thanks for the recipe, Mavis!
Luana Wells says
Our backyard overlooks a gully/animal corridor. I want to toss California Poppy bombs over the back fence. Thanks for reinforcing the idea!
Kaori Yamada (Peggy) says
Always inspired by yousr insight and keep-up gardening flyer, and today, I just got so excited about seed bomb idea! I love to make this with kids and grandmothers, with depressed friends! Thank you so much!
David says
This… is… AWESOME. Not merely because it’s a neat idea, but because I live in St. Louis, which has a good number of brown zones, superfund sites, etc.
I plan on building bombs (flowery!) and oh, do I intend to use them! If ever there was a need to bring back guerrilla gardening, this place is it. Well… I imagine prob’ly Detroit, too. Yeah. Def’ly. Def’ly Detroit.
Anyways… DOPE! Thanks!
John Jones says
I have collected a pint of California Poppy seeds in yellow, orange and partially red.
where to toss some Whoopee!!!
Mavis says
I LOVE California poppies!
Sara says
I don’t think she is actually advocating throwing these into other peoples yards/empty lots. That was just a little history of the seed bomb. 🙂
cptacek says
Looks like David plans on using them about town.
cptacek says
Looks like Sue is going to as well.
Sara says
Hi
I was wondering can you dye them? would you just add dye to the mixture? or does the clay come in different colors? ..I need purple.
Thanks!
Sara
Gail Lam says
Air dry clay comes in many colors including purple
Anne F. says
I had a hilarious conversation with a vendor at the NW Flower and Garden Show this year who was selling seed bombs. When I saw them, I got super excited that the Flower and Garden Show was supporting “guerrilla-gardening.” The lady had no idea what I was talking about…apparently they were selling these seed “balls” to plant in your veggie garden the typical way (dig a hole, drop in a seed.)
I have happy memories as a student at UC Berkeley in 1974 slingshotting seed bombs into inner city vacant lots surrounded by chain link fencing. We were such radical hippies!
Anne F. says
Has anyone read the children’s picture book “Miss Rumphius”? She might have been the original seed bomber. or was that Johnny Apple Seed?
http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Rumphius-Barbara-Cooney/dp/0140505393
Wendi Wetzel says
Love, love, love Miss Rumphius! I’m good with guerrilla gardening in vacant lots. In areas where you are familiar with the ongoing situation and it seems appropriate, why not help nature take it’s course. Certainly no one is going to slingshot them onto a manicured lawn (unless it’s the leader of the HOA. LOL, jk). I plan to use them in a large, barren area between an infiltration pond and the creek that runs by my home. The majority of the land is owned by a developer. He has no concern for the environment or the wildlife. It will add a lovely habitat for the butterflies, hummingbirds etc.
Melissa says
Miss Rumphius is the bomb. Best story ever.
Kathie S. says
Thank you so much for the instructions. My daughter is in kindergarten and we made these for Earth Day. Her classmates and teacher got a kick out of them and they were a unique giveaway for the kids.
Mavis says
So glad you were able to make some and that everyone liked them. They are such a fun project!
Susan says
Has anyone here actually used these before? I’ve read that seed bombs are “a cute idea, but don’t actually work”.
I’d like to hear from someone who has experience with them before I go investing in making or buying these, myself. What is the germination rate of these seed bombs, if anyone knows?
Thanks!
nina says
id like to do these as party favors. how far in advanced should i do them ?
Olive says
Do you think crayola model magic clay would work? It is air dry….
Regan says
If you don’t have a compost, can you use soil?
Kirsten says
I’m going to!