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Posts: 181
Location: Tacoma WA
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Approved submission
Beginning mix:  1 part compost, 1 part dampened coconut coir, 1 part sloppy clay, 1 part seeds

Seeds including crimson clover, white clover, lupine, carrot, onion, squash, dill, radish, sunflower, marigold, amaranth, cucumber, chard, kale, daikon, dandelion, mint,  and a bunch of unlabeled  or old seeds
plus 4 perennials: rudbeckia, echinacea, lilac, wild lettuce

PEP Foraging Sand Seedballs - 4 pounds of seed balls/bombs; at least an inch in diameter, 6 species, and at least 4 have to be perennials
May 13: 4 pounds  
Total time: about 5 hours, not including choosing seeds.
seed-ball-ingredients.jpg
1 part damp compost, 1 part damp coconut coir, 1 part sloppy clay, 1 part mixed seeds
1 part damp compost, 1 part damp coconut coir, 1 part sloppy clay, 1 part mixed seeds
IMG_20230513_195506003.jpg
This mix needed a lot of compression to hold together
This mix needed a lot of compression to hold together
May-13-end-of-day-.jpg
May 13. Getting dark, thunder, and lightening.
May 13. Getting dark, thunder, and lightening.
May-13-4-pounds.jpg
Photo taken in daylight 2 days later. 4 pounds, even after drying out a bit.
Photo taken in daylight 2 days later. 4 pounds, even after drying out a bit.
Staff note (gir bot) :

Nikki Roche approved this submission.

 
Posts: 85
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Approved submission
Here's my submission for this BB. My seed balls included:

field mint
white clover
lambs' quarters
mustard seed mix
Shoshone sainfoin
common vetch
hairy vetch
cherry
apple

I'm including these pictures:
 - A picture of the seeds in your mixing container
- The balls/bombs being created
- A picture of the finished balls on a scale showing the weight
seeds-in-mixing-container.jpg
[Thumbnail for seeds-in-mixing-container.jpg]
seed-balls-being-created.jpg
[Thumbnail for seed-balls-being-created.jpg]
weight-of-my-seed-balls.jpg
[Thumbnail for weight-of-my-seed-balls.jpg]
Staff note (gir bot) :

Nikki Roche approved this submission.
Note: Great job, Jae!

 
Posts: 80
Location: Zone 5a, Southern Wisconsin
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Approved submission
Made some seed balls to set free.

My mix is of
  • nettle, perennial
  • prairie sage (locally harvested, perennial)
  • mullein
  • st john's wort, perennial
  • garden sage
  • green onions
  • quinoa
  • milkweed (locally harvested, perennial)
  • salsify, perennial


  • and the compost is home made, a mix of 9 parts my compost and 1part perlite to keep it airy
    PXL_20231102_164718806.MP.jpg
    Seeds, not including the local ones
    Seeds, not including the local ones
    PXL_20231102_165514348.MP.jpg
    Mixed seeds, all of them now.
    Mixed seeds, all of them now.
    PXL_20231102_173834508.MP.jpg
    Mixing
    Mixing
    PXL_20231102_173956650.MP.jpg
    More mixing...
    More mixing...
    PXL_20231102_174421846.MP.jpg
    How big they are
    How big they are
    PXL_20231102_174413240.MP.jpg
    and weighed out at 5.44lb
    and weighed out at 5.44lb
    Staff note (gir bot) :

    Someone approved this submission.
    Note: I certify this BB completed!

     
    gardener
    Posts: 2108
    Location: Zone 8b North Texas
    564
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    Submission flagged incomplete
    I was working on the mini pond from Earthworks this morning and remembered this bb...have clay will pellet!  Lol
    I made 5-6 lbs. of giant seed pellets with 1/3 seed mix, 1/3 our clay soil and 1/3 compost.
    I generally use my 1/2" seed pelleter found here:
    Homemade seed pelleters

    The seeds I included are:
    Black-eyed Peas
    White Clover
    Red Wheat
    Amaranth
    Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce
    Lambs Quarters
    Sunflower

    I like mixing up the size of the seeds and when they germinate because I've found they will pop up at different times.  The white clover will pop up when something else gives is shade, so all the moisture isn't removed.  It is a good nitrogen fixer.  Sunflowers and Lambs Quarters grow wild and love it here.  
    1-Seed-Mix.jpg
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    2-Clay-and-Compost-Mix.jpg
    [Thumbnail for 2-Clay-and-Compost-Mix.jpg]
    3-Clay-and-Compost.jpg
    [Thumbnail for 3-Clay-and-Compost.jpg]
    4-Added-seeds-to-clay-and-compost.jpg
    [Thumbnail for 4-Added-seeds-to-clay-and-compost.jpg]
    5-All-mixed.jpg
    [Thumbnail for 5-All-mixed.jpg]
    6-Making-giant-seed-pellets.jpg
    [Thumbnail for 6-Making-giant-seed-pellets.jpg]
    7-Giant-seed-pellets.jpg
    [Thumbnail for 7-Giant-seed-pellets.jpg]
    8-Pellets-on-scale-at-around-7.jpg
    [Thumbnail for 8-Pellets-on-scale-at-around-7.jpg]
    9-Showing-scale.jpg
    [Thumbnail for 9-Showing-scale.jpg]
    Staff note (gir bot) :

    Timothy Norton flagged this submission as not complete.
    BBV price: 1
    Note: Requires 4 species of perennial plants. White Clover is one? The rest appear to be annuals.

     
    Tina Wolf
    gardener
    Posts: 2108
    Location: Zone 8b North Texas
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    Ah...I apologize, I treat annuals like perennials by letting them go to seed and just didn't differentiate.  Lambs Quarters lose foliage but return here.  Sunflowers I let go to seed and new ones grow.  Black-eyed peas I let go to seed and they return.  Amaranth the same, I let some of it go to seed and it returns.  The red wheat I let go to seed.  Clover spreads so I consider it a perennial.  The lettuce I treat as annual.  I'll use technical perennials next time.
     
    Posts: 451
    Location: Indiana
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    Trying this again! It didn't post earlier!!!

    I got fed up with rolling mud balls and just quit it  -  until the light bulb went on!!!

    I have several of the blue plastic ice cube trays, so, I thought why not? I brought those up to my porch where I had been mixing content.

    These were extremely easy to do. just pack your mixture into the trays, pack down (I used hands and a small board both), set aside to dry, and when dry just twist the trays and the MUD CUBES pop right out. You can also use the boar to scrape off any excess as you don't want the cubes sticking together while drying.

    I had very little breakage from using these trays and they are much quicker to use that sitting rolling a mud ball around until you go to sleep!

    NO MORE MUD BALLS FOR ME!  I'M MAKING MUD CUBES!
     
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    Approved submission
    Seed balls created! I made two batches, because I ran out of seeds before I got to four pounds on the first batch.
    Batch # 1: 3 lbs 3 oz. Seeds: Chinese Chives(perennial), Winter Rye(annual), Ramps(p), Rose of Sharon(p), Yarrow(p), False Indigo(p), Alfalfa(p), and dandelion(p)
    Batch # 2: 1 lbs 10 oz. Seeds: Winter Rye(a), Quince(p), Alfalfa(p), Apple(p), Dandelion(p), and Broomcorn(a).
    The combined weight of both batches was about 4 lbs 10 oz according to my scale. That measurement sounds funny to me considering the above weights but mud is shifty like that I suppose.
    20240523_133433.jpg
    Clay and compost before mixing
    Clay and compost before mixing
    20240523_133730.jpg
    Mixed clay and compost
    Mixed clay and compost
    20240523_135944.jpg
    Seed mix (1st batch)
    Seed mix (1st batch)
    20240523_144959.jpg
    Creation process
    Creation process
    20240523_150453.jpg
    Both finished batches combined, showing weight.
    Both finished batches combined, showing weight.
    Staff note (gir bot) :

    Someone approved this submission.

     
    gardener
    Posts: 433
    Location: 6a; BSk; Suburbia; 0.35 acres
    185
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    Approved submission
    To complete this BB, the minimum requirements is to make at least 4 lbs (fresh weight) of seed balls/bombs:
          o at least an inch in diameter
          o can either be used immediately or quickly dried for storage (before the seeds germinate)
          o at least six different species in each ball/bomb
              - at least four of the species are perennials

    To document your completion of the BB, provide the following:
    Attachment 1  - A picture of the seeds in your mixing container
    Attachment 2  - The balls/bombs being created
    Attachment 3  - A picture of the finished balls on a scale showing the weight
     - A listing of the seeds you used

    The seeds I used include:
    basil, thyme, peppers (anaheim, shishito, bell, jalepeno, poblano, sweet banana, hatch green, serrano, habenero, cayenne), okra, spinach, lettuces, carrot, calendula, pea, parsley, monarda, cilantro, spilanthes, cucumber, ground cherry, eggplant, oregano, tomatoes (peacevine cherry, roma, beefsteak), marigold, chives, celery

    Perennials in zone 5 are: thyme, monarda, oregano, and chives
    Attachment-1-seeds-in-mixing-container.jpg
    [Thumbnail for Attachment-1-seeds-in-mixing-container.jpg]
    Attachment-2-seed-balls-being-created.JPG
    [Thumbnail for Attachment-2-seed-balls-being-created.JPG]
    Attachment-3-finished-weight-of-balls.png
    [Thumbnail for Attachment-3-finished-weight-of-balls.png]
    Staff note (gir bot) :

    Rebekah Harmon approved this submission.
    Note: lovely balls, Alex!

     
    Posts: 18
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    Approved submission
    I made a little over four pounds of seed balls today.

    Process
    - compiled 12 seed types, included 7 perennials
    - hand mixed clay and manure
    - mixed in seeds
    - made balls

    Seeds
    (P) = perennial

    - sage  (p)
    - service berries (p)
    - catnip  (p)
    - asparagus  (p)
    - lovage  (p)
    - walnut  (p)
    - sunflower
    - cherry  (p)
    - clover
    - California poppy
    - columbine
    - mystery grain
    IMG_6057.jpeg
    Here’s the 12 seeds I used
    Here’s the 12 seed types I used
    IMG_6072.jpeg
    Creating the seed balls
    Creating the seed balls
    IMG_6076.jpeg
    All done
    All done
    Staff note (gir bot) :

    Jeremy VanGelder approved this submission.

     
    And inside of my fortune cookie was this tiny ad:
    heat your home with yard waste and cardboard
    https://freeheat.info
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