DIY Seed Balls - Central American Style

While visiting Costa Rica this winter, I hosted a DIY Seed Ball workshop at a finca (farm) where we were working. We started by exploring the gardens to see what seeds were available for harvesting. I had prepared ahead of time by gathering and drying seeds the previous month.

There were many marigolds to be found! We also added pigeon pea, kale, basil, hibiscus, guava, papaya, zinnias and more. The important thing is to choose a variety of different kinds of seeds. We chose to combine things that would be edible for humans as well as attract beneficial insects and build soil.

Pigeon Pea is a great nitrogen fixer, beneficial for soil building.

(Pictured Above)

Another reason to use a variety of seeds is greater possibility that at least one type of seed will appreciate the conditions it finds and thrive in the place that it lands.

We added the seeds to a mix of clay and compost we also harvested on site.

We dug the clay from an area nearby and crushed it up so it was fairly crumbly (above)

Compost was sifted through a screen to get out the big chunks

Next, we added some spring water, diverted from the hoses running freely into the fish pond

The mix is about equal parts clay and compost, about a third seeds, and water added until the mix sticks together like cookie dough.

Why make seed balls? Well, for one, it's fun! They can be launched into ditches and vacant lots, into hard-to-reach borderlands and anywhere you wish to see more food and flowers growing!

Seed balls are easy to keep until you're ready to chuck 'em. Carry some in your pocket when you go for a walk or bike ride. Keep a little bag of them within reach while you're driving to toss out the window into the highway medians - how do you think those sunnies got there? Birds do it naturally from the high wires, that's why you can see shrubs like elderberries growing in rows under the power lines!

We used empty egg cartons to hold the seed balls for transporting and drying them. It's important to let them dry right away so the seeds don't sprout. You can also use paper bags or cardboard boxes (just don't seal them in plastic bags or they might mold) Keep them in a cool, dark place until you're ready to use them.

Plant Seeds, Sing Songs, Walk the Beauty Way!