Weed patches...we are coming for you!

A little bundle of seeds, encased in a protective clay casing with nourishing compost! That is in essence what a seed bomb is. Seeds bombs have been used as a useful tool in guerilla gardening as a way to quickly and subtly sew some seeds in green patches which have fallen into disrepair.

They are also a great activity to get children interested in growing plants and engaging in nature and conservation. Last weekend at the somewhat damp and windy Wimbledon Village Fair I inspired some new little urban greeners with a seed bomb demonstration. My child friendly set up - part of the Transition Town Wimbledon stall - complete with alluring colourful sign and range of flowery seed packets attracted a lot of attention from the little ones mostly intrigued as to what a seed bomb was. I think the fun part is that the seeds are concealed in the bomb and that you can just throw them around anywhere and with a bit of luck they will germinate.

So there are many different recipes with various ratios out there but here is the one I use and have found it so far to be very successful.
- 5 parts powdered clay
- 3 parts peat-free compost
- 1 part seeds (mixture of wild flower seeds are best for an array of colourful flowers)

I got the powdered clay from a local art college but you can also get some from ceramic supply wholesalers such as Potclays (http://www.potclays.co.uk/) where you can buy it in bulk. You can also use clay from the ground if you are in an area with soil rich in clay. The powdered clay is easy to mix in but it makes sense to use what you have around you for free!
Then, all you need to do is mix these together (adding water if you are using powdered clay) and shape into little balls making sure there are no seeds sticking out! Then let them dry out somewhere before packing them up and heading out to all those overgrown weedy patches which need a makeover.

 Ingedients: Clay powder, seeds and compost

 Packaged up with recycled egg boxes