How to Make a Seed Bomb
Exploration•Takingawalktogetherasafamilyisagreatwaytoteachyourkidsaboutvarietiesofflowers,shrubs,andtrees.It’sanunstressfultimetoengageandallowthemtoaskquestionsabouttheirownlocalenvironment.Youprob-ablywon’thavetotravelveryfartodiscoveravacantlot,oraban-donedsideyardbythestreet.Thosehauntinglotscanbecomeanexcitingsummerprojectforyouandyourkids--notbybuyingandtransplantinglotsofflowers,butbybecoming“TopSecretAgents”andplantingseedbombs.Usethisprintabletutorialtoshowyouhowtoencasetheseedsinahardballofclayandpottingsoilwhichwillhelpthemgerminate.Thebombscanbetossedintoanybarepatchofdirt.Justaddwater!Asafamilyyoucaneasilycoveralargeareawithseedbombsinashortperiodoftime--inafewmonthsyou’llseeplentyofprogressinyour“secret”garden
Digging Deeper1)Divideyourmaterialssoyouhave: •5partsclay •1partcompost/pottingsoil •1partseeds
1
Classroom Activity
Grade Levels:K-12
Objective:Createseedbombsforbeautificationprojects.
Time:variable
Materials:•Clay(availablefromcraftstores)•Compostorpottingsoil•Seeds(easy-to-growornativevarieties)
Laying the Groundwork:Whatisaseedbomb?Seedbombingonalargerscaleisdonebyintroducingnewvegetationtolandbythrowingordropping(usuallyfromanairplane)compressedbundlesofsoilcontaininglivevegetation.Thisaerialrevegetationdatesbacktothe1930sandisstillusedtodaytotreatareasburnedextensivelybywildfires.Onthehomefront,andamuchsmallerscale,seedbombsarefuntomakewithchildrenofallages.It’scheap,comparedtobuyingtransplants,andkidscancarrythemaboutintheirpockets!
© 2012 The National Gardening Association. All rights reserved.
2)Combinetheclayandcompost.Addalittlewaterifyourmixtureisdry.Themixtureshouldbemoistbutnotdrippingwet.
3)Addtheseedstotheclayandcompost.Thoroughlyworkthematerialstogetherwithyourhands.
4)Shapethemixtureintoaballthesizeofagolfball.Youcaneitherplantyourseedbombwhileitisstillmoistorallowittodry.Aslongasitiswatered(eithermanuallyorbyrain)onceit’splanted,theclaywillbreakdownandtheseedswillgrow.
ActivitycreatedbyNationalGardeningAssociationstaff.
2© 2012 The National Gardening Association. All rights reserved.
