Seedbombs!

2 weeks ago, I hosted a Seedbomb Making party at my house. A few good friends attended and by the end of the night we had over 60 seed bombs and at least 2 cases of empty beer bottles. This party was also helping me prepare for the bottling stage of my homebrew. :)

While researching seedbombs, I bookmarked these sites as a few of my favorite. The very first site has the recipe we used:

http://freedomgardens.org/2010/10/04/make-your-own-seed-balls/ - Recipe is straightforward. Perfect!

http://mademoisellechaos.blogspot.com/2010/03/make-your-own-seed-bombs.html - Tried this recipe out first. The newspaper was fun to play with and making heart-shaped seed bombs was pretty sweet, but they ended up being too dry for our climate.

http://www.guerrillagardening.org/ggseedbombs.html - Great website! This page details a variety of seedbomb recipes.

http://heavypetal.ca/archives/2007/03/how-to-make-seedballs/ - A west coast urban gardener

I thought this should be as free as possible. Somehow, it didn't feel as genuine if I had to buy the ingredients. So, I used clods of clay dug from the permie plot at the Tonopah Community Garden, dry compost from my own backyard bin, and a combination of loose seeds from everyone who came to the party. We ended up with regional wildflowers, vegetables, and herbs.

After they dried up, I took the dog for a walk and "planted" a few. I was picky about where I planted my bombs. I chose spots that I knew would receive some water from run-off or sprinkler. Also, the spots were generally overgrown, weedy, trashy areas that could use something pretty. I plan on keeping track with photos over the next few weeks to see if anything grows. How Vegas...always a gamble.

What I learned today...

* Blue eggshells turn a beautiful green in the compost pile

* Northern Sea Oats are hardy

* I have mycellium growing through the alfalfa/straw mulch in the side yard

* Throwing rotten pumpkins is fun

* The main sprinkler pipe split from the freeze

* Moving too fast can hurt your fingers

* How to properly use a charcoal chimney starter

I spent the whole day outside. Time meant nothing. I didn't even need to eat. I listened to my iPod and sang to the dog while doing whatever it was that needed doing out in the yard. All except the smashed fingers in the door, it was a fabulous day. When I smashed my fingers, I took the next hour and a half off. I sat on the porch swing with an ice pack and watched the garden, napped in the sunshine, pet the dog, and read a little. Observation and stillness in the garden are as important as change and movement.

I grilled squash in the fire pit for dinner. It helps me pretend I'm camping.