Save Our Monarchs
  • Monarch Story
    • Why Milkweed?
    • Monarch Migration
    • Help Us Expand
    • How To Raise Monarch Butterflies At Home
    • How You Can Help
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Get Seeds
    • Seed Packets
    • Bulk Seeds
  • Donate
    • School Pollinator Garden Program
    • Nebraska/SOM
    • Donate Stock
    • In Memoriam
    • In Honor
  • Store
    • Milkweed Seeds
    • Save Our Monarchs Gear
    • Gift Cards
  • Schools
  • Habitat Projects
    • Corridors For Pollinators
    • Pollinator Garden Program
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Our Partners
    • News
    • Testimonials
    • Irvin & Gladys
    • Contact Us
  • Blog

Milkweed Seed Balls 101

2/20/2019

22 Comments

 
Picture

Milkweed seed balls are fun and easy to make and a great way to create Monarch habitat. Seed bombs are also the perfect winter project to get kids interested in gardening and the environment!

Milkweed is a very low-maintenance perennial and a must-have in your butterfly garden. These seed bombs can be thrown in abandoned lots, roadsides, bare places in your lawn or garden, school gardens, and the list goes on! They also make wonderful gifts, weddings favors and party favors.
To learn how to make them read on!


So, what is a seed ball?

A seed bomb is a quarter sized ball made of clay, compost and seeds which is used to casually plant milkweed and other native plants. They are often used in guerrilla gardening. 

How do seed balls work?

Reseeding areas by the traditional method of broadcasting seeds poses several problems but seed bombs can remedy all those issues. For instance,
​
  • The clay protects the seed from drying out in the sun
  • The seed bombs are heavy enough to not be affected by wind or heavy rains
  • The clay casing deters animals from eating them
  • The shape of the ball conserves moisture
  • The compost provide nutrients for the seeds 
  • As the seeds begin to germinate and grow, they provide shade for the next generation of seeds

All of this adds up to increased germination rates and a self-sustaining system!

STEP 1: Gather Your Ingredients

Picture
Picture
Picture
  • Seeds   
    Available in bulk from SaveOurMonarchs here. Use promo code 'Seedbomb' for 10% off!
  • Clay     
    Choose a non-toxic, all natural clay like this one 
  • Compost, Potting Soil, or Seed-starting Mix 
    Choose organic options like this one or use your own compost!
  • Water

STEP 2: Mix Compost, Clay and Water together

Picture
Start with 1 cup of compost and 1 cup of clay. Mix together in a bowl and add about 1/2 cup of water. The consistency should be just sticky enough to adhere the compost and clay together. You can add more or less water/soil to get this consistency. 

Pro Tip: For me, 1 cup of both made 15 quarter-sized seed bombs. You can use this recipe to multiply it to make your desired amount of seed balls. 

Step 3: Roll into balls

Picture
Just like making cookies! Grab enough clay mixture to make about a 1 inch in diameter ball. 

Step 4: Add Seeds

Picture
Use a tooth pick to poke holes in each ball. 15-20 seeds per seed bomb is about right for a 1 inch size ball.
Picture
For some of the seeds bombs I also added a mix of wildflowers. To create a complete habitat for Monarchs you need both host and nectar plant-sources!
Save Our Monarchs has special offers on bulk seeds. ​Use promo code 'Seedbomb' for 10% off!
​1/2 oz       1,500 seeds    $25    =  100 bombs
1 oz            3,000 seeds    $50    =  200 bombs
4 oz         12,000 seeds    $75    =  800 bombs
16 oz       48,000 seeds   $135  = 3200 bombs


IMPORTANT NOTE: Germination rates will be greatly reduced if not planted correctly! Milkweed seeds can be very slow to germinate and does take some time and patience. For best results and to speed up the germination process, place the seeds in wet paper towels in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for 30 days prior to planting. 

Step 5: Reshape into a ball and allow to dry

Picture
Once you’ve added the seeds, roll the seed bombs in your hand to make sure seeds are tucked in nicely.

Lay seed bombs out on a newspaper or cardboard box and allow to dry for 24-48 hours or until hard. Avoid drying them on plastic to avoid mold.


After drying, you can also store the seed bombs in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until it’s time to plant. Mason jars or glass Tupperware work well for this!

How to plant your milkweed seed balls

When: You can plant them now while there is still snow on the ground so that the milkweed balls will still cold-stratify before Spring arrives.

Pre-stratified seeds, can be planted in the Spring after the first frost has passed. 
​

You can also plant in the Fall once there have been a few frosts and there is no chance the seeds will germinate before Spring. 

How: Simply throw the seed bombs onto bare soil. With a little water, plenty of sunlight and compost, your seed bombs will germinate and become a beautiful haven for Monarch butterflies!
22 Comments
Jon Allen link
3/6/2019 07:03:14 am

I would like to order seed bomb materials for our Arbor Day event which we will celebrate on April 27th. We currently have 2 feet of snow on the ground and will certainly have snow and cold weather throughout this month. If I keep them outside assuming they will arrive this month, should I expect them to cold-stratify in late March or early April? Thank you.

Reply
Rebecca Chandler
3/7/2019 02:55:56 pm

Hi Jon,
Thanks for your question. If you choose to order seeds from Save Our Monarchs, they will arrive within 7-14 business days. The recommended stratification period is 30-60 days. Something to keep in mind is that cold stratification period only increases germination rates. I have had milkweed seeds sprout without a cold strat period just fine. However, any amount of time will help. Hope that helps!

Reply
John McLaughlin link
3/6/2019 07:21:51 am

Greetings,
the North Metro Miracle League is a non-profit serving children and youth with disabilities, WE have just started a conservation initiative
Butterflies (Monarchs) Honey Bees and other pollinators.
We look forward to sharing the mission

We will be building several butterfly gardens and in the area and welcome any guidance and advice.
John McLaughlin 404-861-8920

Reply
Rebecca
3/7/2019 02:59:58 pm

Hi John,
That is wonderful! Thank you for reaching out. You can email our director Ward Johnson at ward@saveourmonarchs.org and he will be happy to speak with you!

Reply
Jane Schildge
3/6/2019 05:16:37 pm

would like to make these for a Green Fair April 7th. Do you sell the clay and the compost or do we get locally? I have individual seed packets that we could use for this project.

Reply
Rebecca
3/7/2019 03:01:13 pm

Hi Jane,
Save Our Monarchs does not currently sell that compost or clay. I would recommend using local compost and/or clay. Here in Nebraska, we have very clay-like soil so it works great for these!

Reply
Jane
3/6/2019 07:52:05 pm

What types of wildflowers do you add? Coreopsis? Pale purple coneflower? Liatris? Do some grow better with the milkweed than others?

Reply
Rebecca
3/7/2019 03:04:44 pm

Hi Jane,
You can add whichever wildflowers are native to your area. A wonderful tool is the National Wildlife Fund's Native Plant Finder where you can find native flowers in your area! https://www.nwf.org/NativePlantFinder/Plants

Reply
Rachel link
3/13/2019 05:01:45 pm

Thanks for posting these detailed instructions. And thanks for the work you do to save our monarchs.

Reply
Rebecca
4/22/2019 07:32:25 am

Thank you for reading!

Reply
Donna J Mihovilovich
4/11/2019 10:31:08 am

Can I plant these in Corona, CA?

Reply
Rebecca
4/22/2019 07:44:45 am

Hi Donna,
I would check the National Wildlife Fund's Native Plant Finder to do a quick search on which milkweed/wildflowers are native to your area and adjust the recipe accordingly! Thanks!
https://www.nwf.org/NativePlantFinder/Plants

Reply
Shasta Winkler
4/12/2019 04:25:05 am

Over the years the agricultural industry has worked tirelessly eradicate milkweed from its fields of crops. Putting monarch butterflies at the disadvantage of a place to lay their eggs and caterpillars from foliage from which to feed on. Help bridge the gap. What a good idea.

Reply
Rebecca Chandler
4/22/2019 07:34:39 am

Yes, we think so too! Thank you for reading.

Reply
Mary Jane Shanks
4/22/2019 04:56:22 am

Our local Girl Scout troop wants to make seed bombs on May 1 2019 to plant in a Monarch Waystation that our church is creating this spring. Is it too late to do this activity for spring/early summer planting? If so, will the seed balls stay viable if refrigerated or frozen and planted in late fall?

Reply
Rebecca
4/22/2019 07:53:28 am

Hi Mary,
Thank you for your question and interest! It is not too late to make seed bombs on May 1st and then plant them early this summer. I would recommend our Pollinator Seed Mix packets which include milkweed seeds and have a very high germination rate.
If you are planting only milkweed seeds, it may be best to wait until late Fall to plant them. Then, they will go through a natural cold stratification period (winter) and start coming up in the spring!
As a good teaching experiment, you could try both the spring and fall planting methods to see which works best! Good luck and please keep us updated!

Reply
Mary Jane Shanks
4/28/2019 02:19:17 pm

Thank you for responding. Girl Scouts will be making seedballs on May 1 as I said explained and they will only be using milkweed seeds that have been refrigerated over the winter. If we froze or refrigerated some of the seedballs and planted those in the fall, would the seeds be viable?

Christa
1/5/2020 01:34:52 pm

Do I need to add compost to this? I wanted to give as favors at a party and was worried compost might give an odor. Also, does it get placed, thrown or planted on the ground? Thank you

Reply
Heather
2/20/2020 04:57:58 am

Christa, answers to all your questions are mentioned above. Good luck!

Reply
Rebecca
4/4/2020 09:08:49 am

Hi Christa,
Thank you for your question! The recipe we used uses equal parts compost and clay (1 cup of each). Compost that has been properly mixed and given time to break down should not have a bad smell but should smell like soil. You can also buy a bag of compost at most nurseries.
The milkweed ball can be tossed or thrown but not planted into the ground. The ball has all the components and nutrients that the milkweed seeds need to grow but the seed also needs light and rain to be able to properly germinate. I hope this answers all of your questions. Thank you!

Reply
Heather
2/20/2020 04:59:04 am

Christa, answers to all your questions are mentioned above. Good luck!

Reply
Angela Strabala
5/1/2020 09:06:17 am

We would like to put milkweed seed bombs in an area that is not mowed and some parts have dead grass that is standing and acting as ground cover. Do we need to clear the area before tossing the bombs in?

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Rebecca Chandler
    Garden Educator, Naturalist and Ethnobotanist

    Picture

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

NOTE: You can also receive FREE SEEDS by sending us a self-addressed stamped envelope to: 
​
Save Our Monarchs | P.O. Box 947 | Chanhassen, MN 55317
Please include a $5 donation with each request.
​
Get Seeds
Donate
Forum
Blog
Contact Us
Privacy
  • Monarch Story
    • Why Milkweed?
    • Monarch Migration
    • Help Us Expand
    • How To Raise Monarch Butterflies At Home
    • How You Can Help
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Get Seeds
    • Seed Packets
    • Bulk Seeds
  • Donate
    • School Pollinator Garden Program
    • Nebraska/SOM
    • Donate Stock
    • In Memoriam
    • In Honor
  • Store
    • Milkweed Seeds
    • Save Our Monarchs Gear
    • Gift Cards
  • Schools
  • Habitat Projects
    • Corridors For Pollinators
    • Pollinator Garden Program
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Our Partners
    • News
    • Testimonials
    • Irvin & Gladys
    • Contact Us
  • Blog