Seed Balls

A seed ball (or plant seed bomb) is a plant seed which has been pre-planted in a small round lump of soil materials, mainly a mixture of clay and compost along with other necessary nutrients, and the entire ball containing the seed is then dried.

What happens in a seed ball?

• The seed-ball is a mini soil pocket which contains the seed and all other necessary ingredients for the seed’s survival in the same pocket. This enables the seed to germinate for a few days initially and then be produced when the conditions are right.
• In effect, each seed is ?pre-planted? and is generally sown by depositing the seed ball anywhere where it is suitable for the plant species.
• This keeps the seed safe from birds etc till the right moment for germination comes.
• They are an easy and sustainable method to achieve plant cultivation as it provides a large window of time when during the time period of the sowing.
• A seed ball is easy to transport and easy to plant.

Historical use of the Seed Balls

• Historically, the Seed balls were used by the Ancient Egyptians to plant crops when the swollen banks of the river Nile receded after a flood.
• They are also used in Asia and North America, especially in regions of high aridity.