How Tuesday - make newspaper seed balls for Easter or Spring planting

I started getting seed catalogs before Christmas, I am thinking they were hoping you would get them as a Christmas gift, or that you would want to escape your family for a few minutes and start reading and choosing your seeds, either way it got me thinking about seed a bit sooner than I usually do.

As a result I started planning what to do with all the seed I collected from the yard and the flower garden this year.  One of the great things to do is make your own seed balls.  If you and the kids are bored and getting some cabin fever, you can make these as a project too.

There are recipes available that use compost, seeds and clay.  I like those and have done them for programs as a giveaway, but this version using newspaper is easier and can be done in smaller batches.

Why we’re OK with this method: In an anaerobic landfill, newspaper takes a long, long time to break down. Not ideal. But in a garden, yard, or otherwise open area in need of fortifying (i.e., an environment with plenty of oxygen), newspaper should degrade just fine. Plus, it’s craft-project-friendly. In other words, less messy. Slightly.

I’ve heard reports that newspaper seedballs do better when planted rather than thrown. 

Newspaper Seed Balls (yield 20 balls)

10 Sheets of newspaper

Paper shredder

Water

An immersion blender (or a food processor that you’re prepared to commit to the seedball cause)

about 1/8 cup seeds, especially wildflowers and herbs

 

Directions:

1. Shred the newspaper using a paper shredder. Or if you are really bored, tear the paper by hand or cut with shredding scissors like I did.

 

2. Soak the shredded newspaper in a bowl of water for a bit—a useful step but not crucial.

 

3. Transfer the whole soggy mess to a food processor or to a stainless-steel bowl in which you can safely use an immersion blender. CAUTION! Newspaper ink can stain plastics, including your food processor, so if you’re going that route, you might pick up a cheap second-hand model. In some ways, an immersion blender is ideal because the only bits that touch the newspaper are stainless steel and easy to clean.

 

4. Blend. You might need to add extra water but don’t go overboard. You’re aiming for chunky pulp not watery goo.

 

5. If you’re using a food processor, transfer the pulp to a bowl. Whichever method you’re using, relocate to an area where you can catch the messy drippings. Grab handfuls of the pulp and squuuuuueeeeeeeeze the water out. Dispose of the water or reuse it for future batches. Dump each squeezed handful of pulp back in a bowl.

 

6. Add your seeds to the pulp. I used about 1/8 cup for ten sheets of newspaper, which was plenty. Knead well.

 

7. From here, you can press your seedball pulp into mini cupcake molds or use cookie cutters and press the pulp into them to make fun shapes. Both of these versions are kid- and gift-friendly. Or you can simply pinch off heaping tablespoons and roll them into balls between your palms: quick and dirty. 

 

8. Let dry. A windowsill in the kitchen did the trick but an outdoor spot in partial shade should work, too. It will take a couple days. I recommend giving them a week before placing them in a container.

 

9. Toss into an abandoned roadside. Pot them to grow. Give them to a friend. Or store for future use. Newspaper seedballs will keep for months so you can make them and gift them and then plant them in spring.