GUERILLA GARDENING

Ruby, our garden mentor at Superstition Farm, graciously invited us to her home to learn about her permaculture gardening projects and to make “seedballs.” At its most basic, the purpose of a seedball is to plant seeds out while protecting them from birds and bugs. By incorporating many varieties of seeds, it is also a method to re-vegetate the land. Using the seedball method, you take a risk that not everything will grow, but trust that something will. There may be several varieties of seeds in any particular seedball, but whatever plant is best suited to the location where the seedball ends up is the plant that will grow. Through careful observation, one can then learn about what plants are best matched with what conditions. Seedballs also can be a method of “guerilla gardening” where they are thrown into empty city lots. That sounded like fun to all of us, but for now our seedballs will be used at our own homes and our garden at Superstition Farm.

Ruby’s seedball recipe:
1 measure of seeds (we used 200 different varieties)

1 to 3 measures compost or potting soil

5 to 7 measures of clay

Use the same measuring container for all the ingredients. It doesn’t matter what that measure is. Add enough water while mixing gently for the ingredients to stick together but not (much) to clean dry fingertips. Add a little more clay or water as needed. If you've made pie crust or workable cookie dough it's kind of like that. Pinch off a small blob, usually pea sized, and roll into a ball. Continue until the mix is used up. Set the seedballs in a dry shady place to dry. Once dry (couple days depending) they can be held for about one month. If they get older plant them anyway. Some seeds are really tough. Set each seedball uncovered in a small depression and either wait for rain or irrigation or soak with a hose (gently). Sprinkle daily for a few days then every other then every two days until your watering at the rate appropriate for the place and season. Some mulch between the seedballs may lessen water use.

Thank you, Ruby!!!