Raising seed directly in the garden is all about timing - ensuring the soil and air temperature is right and moisture is consistent through germination.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to always be home on the perfect seed sowing day so Millie has discovered a way to make some set and forget seed starters – seed balls or seed bombs!



You’ll need:
- An old baking tray or pan
- Some sieved, dry compost
- Dry, smashed-up clay (you can use potters clay, or dry and crush your local stuff)
- Seed
- Water in an atomiser


Method:
Millie is making 3 types of seed balls – a simple version using clay only, a combination version that uses clay and fertiliser and version using clay from her own garden!



Simple Seed Balls
For this method, Millie is coating artichoke seeds in clay.

- Place seeds in a tray or pan
- Sprinkle dry clay powder over the seeds
- Use a water spray/misting bottle to moisten the seeds and mix to coat them in the clay powder
- Keep adding clay powder and water until the seeds are well coated.
- Leave them to dry in the sun


Nutritional Seed Balls
This method packs nutritional matter for the seeds into the seed ball. It’s a great method to use for smaller seeds. Millie is making some combination seed balls using Cosmos sulphureus (Orange cosmos) and Alyssum seeds.

- Mix equal parts of the compost & dry clay powder and add a similar amount of seed.
- Continue to mix, slowly misting with water until the mix just comes together around the seed.
- Gently roll into little balls – about 2cm across – being careful not to damage the seeds
- Set them in a sunny spot to dry.


DIY Clay Seed Balls
Millie has dug up some clay soil in her garden and dried it to see how it works making seed balls – this time making Rocket seed balls.

- Mix equal parts of dried clay soil and compost and a similar amount of seed.
- Continue to mix, slowly misting with water until the mix just comes together around the seed.
- Gently roll into little balls – about 2cm across – being careful not to damage the seeds
- Set them in a sunny spot to dry.

The dried seed ball can sit dormant for as long as the seed is viable, but for best results deploy them in the following season.

Drop your seed balls before good rain is coming, or just when you have time. When the conditions are right, they will germinate!

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