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  • Call Weekdays 9am - 7pm (Closed Between 1pm & 2pm)
  • Saturday Phone Lines 10am - 4pm
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Seed bombs as a gardening tool

Seed bombs as a gardening tool
    Guerilla gardening is so named because it shares a number of characteristics with the rather more threatening military outfits that conduct guerilla warfare.

The most obvious connection is probably the fact that their tactics rely on the element of surprise – they turn up unannounced and carry out their activities in secret and often without the permission of landowners.

But some of the methods used by guerilla gardeners also resemble military techniques. One of these is the practice of 'seed bombing' – a method of dropping compressed bundles of soil containing seeds on to an area of land.

These aren't always used by guerilla gardeners, however – they can be a great method of propagating seeds on a large scale or on poor soils.

There are several methods of making seed bombs. Loam rich soil, or other clay-type soils that can be made into a ball, can be used – but they should not be too acidic.

Seeds can either be mixed in beforehand or inserted after the balls have been made. Once they have been left out to dry for 24 hours, they can be used.

Seed bombs can be planted in rows that have already been dug, every few metres, and then covered with soil.

If you want to re-vegetate open spaces with grass or tree seeds, the seed bombs can be thrown to create a random effect and then buried sufficiently to retain moisture.

One gardening pioneer has gone even further down the military route in his attempt to make life easier. Per Cromwell, of Swedish advertising and marketing agency Studio Total, has invented a seed shotgun.

"I like the idea of turning as many shotguns as possible into flower guns. I don't think we can plant too many flowers," Mr Cromwell told Wired.co.uk. However, he did point out that his invention is dangerous if not used correctly.

He said the device would let him fill an average-sized garden in 20 shots – each shell contains between ten and 100 seeds. Mr Cromwell likes the "randomness" of the seeding created using the technique.

Now that's flower power.

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