About Seed Balls

Seed Balls are Ancient. 

• They were used in West Africa to sow rice into dried riverbeds to be safe until the rains. 
• Various sources suggest that seed balls arose independently in Asia, Africa, and Meso America.

Seed Balls are a conservation tool. 

• They conserve the seed until the right conditions arrive. As such, they can stave off germination for quite a while.
• If you are looking for rapidly sprouting seed balls for garden beds and education, try our sunflower and clover seed balls. True wildflower seed balls can take months- even  years to germinate.

Seed Balls are fun.

• Handling mud and seeds is something just about everyone can enjoy.
• Planting seed balls can be great fun and makes gardening accessible.  
• Watching bees and butterflies on wildflowers that you grew is a great pleasure.

Seed Balls are NOT fast gardening.

• They won't make your garden grow faster - in fact, the seeds may germinate more slowly. 

Seed Balls will not bullet proof your seedlings. 

• Drought, flooding, frost, funji, feet, deer, bunnies. Seed balls just won't do much in these cases.

What to do: 

• Choose species that will grow in your region.
• Plant your seed balls thoughtfully, at the right time of year, in a place where the soil and light are appropriate.
• Plant them at the correct depth. Don't just throw the seed balls (sounds catchy, but it doesn't work well).
• Be patient. 

What to expect

• Most wildflowers will need to overwinter before they grow. Plant them in the fall. We pre-treat some seed balls so that you can plant them in the Spring. 
• You will need to get enough rain to break down the seed ball, exposing seeds sufficiently. This can take some time.
•  Seedlings will appear in properly conditioned seed after there have been sustained conditions that are suitable for germination.