Expanding Our Horizons
Since spring 2019, Homes4Monarchs has distributed 20,000 native plant seedballs in addition to milkweed packets.
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Seedballs are hard balls of clay and compost/potting soil.
Each seedball contains 3-5 seeds per ball
Seeds will come from donations from Illinois gardeners or from PRAIRIE MOON NURSERY
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Seedballs are distributed for free to Chicagoland residents in recyclable paper bags or paper envelopes
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This year, Homes4Monarchs offered 5 native plant species in their seedballs:
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Seedball Planting instructions are as follows:
Plant in mid-May or mid-November. Drop each seedball onto bare soil (not on the lawn) with full sun and medium soil moisture. Place seedballs 1-2 ft apart from each other and from other plants. Regardless of whether you planted the seedballs in May or November, starting in May, water seedballs a little every day when soil is dry. Do this until sprouts are 6 in. tall
Making the SeedBeeds
Seedballs are more effective than packets in two key ways
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Sustainability:
Plastic Bags use a lot of energy to create and cause enormous waste and pollution if not recycled. Seedballs are made of natural materials that are meant to break down.
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Convenience:
Normal plastic seed packets require refrigeration and other time- consuming steps to germinate. Seedballs can be easily placed on bare soil in late fall and forgotten about until spring The SeedBeed's hard clay exterior shield the seed from the elements and seed-eating animals, while the compost provides nutrients that help the plant sprout and grow come springtime.
Clink the the link below to learn how to make your own seedballs!
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All credit for the recipe goes to Dolly Foster, Horticulturist at Oak Lawn Park District.