Milkweed Seed Balls 101

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,
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• 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

• 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

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. 

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Step 3: Roll into balls

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

Step 4: Add Seeds

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.

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

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!

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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. 
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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!