Make your own seed bombs

Seed bombs are the perfect environmentally friendly rainy day activity

Using seed bombs is a ‘set and forget’ seed planting method that has been around for centuries. It combines paper, soil, seeds and water.

Here we show you how News Corp’s own Melissa Gaggiano made her own seed bombs at home with the kids. Melissa used marigold seeds, but you can use any wildflower assortment that you would like for your garden.

Let’s get started!

What you need

● Paper scraps (the equivalent of six A4 sheets)

● 3 cups water

● 20 x 20 cm cheesecloth

● Soil

● Seeds

● Cup

● Elastic band

● Food blender (Note: Adult supervision is recommended when using the blender.)

● 2 measuring cups

● Large spoon

Activity

Rip up two cups worth of paper scraps (the equivalent of six A4 paper sheets). Add three cups of water to the paper and let it sit for 30 minutes to soak. Remove one cup of water from soaked paper scraps. Pulp the paper using a food blender.

Drape a small piece of cheesecloth over a cup. Secure the cheesecloth to the sides of the cup with an elastic band.

With a large spoon, scoop a glob of pulped paper onto the cheesecloth, pushing the cheesecloth inward like a bowl. Add a pinch of soil. Add a pinch of seeds. Add another glob of pulped paper.

Remove the elastic band. Bundle the cheesecloth and squeeze the wet seed bomb, reducing excess water. Remove the cheesecloth. Put the wet seed bomb aside in a warm, dry place. Let it dry out for a few days. Make multiple seed bombs with the remaining materials.

Once the seed bombs are dry, fling them anywhere in the garden. Over the next few months, nature will take care of the rest.