LET'S GUERRILLA WILDFLOWER! A guide from Earthy Cailíni
Photograph: Richard Johnston - Irish Times
We're inviting you to join us for some little acts of rebellion for nature! We're all fed up in lockdown so why not take this opportunity to get proactive outdoors.
In this post we’re going show you how to make homemade wildflower seed bombs and guerrilla garden to highlight the importance of native wildflowers for pollinators and biodiversity.
Throw these seed bombs in your garden or while you're out on one of your local walks - a fun activity for you and beneficial for nature.
Look to spaces that are nature deprived and throw your seed bombs to help pollinators and biodiversity thrive.
Let's Guerrilla Wildflower!
What you'll need:
Potting soil
Baking flour
Water
A large bowl or basin.
Any cup you have at home.
A spoon to mix.
And of course, Seeds! @blooming_native has kindly joined us for a collaboration offering a discount code for their seeds.
Method:
This simple recipe uses three parts potting soil to one part flour creating about 15-20 seed bombs.
A simple teacup from home works perfectly for measuring out your ingredients.
Add three cups of soil to a basin or large bowl.
Add about a quarter cup of seeds of your choice followed by one cup of flour.
Now, simply give everything a thorough mix together and add one cup of water.
Combine the mixture so that it is perfect for creating seed bombs, seed hearts or whatever shape you fancy!
Leave for 24hrs to dry.
Now you're all ready to Guerrilla Wildflower!
Tips:
Wrap in material & tie with twine to make gifts for friends and family.
The less seeds used per bomb, the less competition there will be to grow.
Birds sometimes eat seed bombs so simply add a little Paprika to the mix to deter them. We don't mind birds, in fact we made seed bombs specifically for them using wild bird seed!
Annual seeds will appear after just 6-8 weeks. Perennials will come back year upon year, extending the lifespan of wildflower meadows and providing more pollen and nectar for pollinators than an annual seed mix.
If you can, try to make them when you know it's likely to rain after throwing them.
In cases where you can, crumble the seed bomb using your hand and scatter or press it into the land you wish to cultivate to give your seeds the best possible chance.
Native wildflowers are crucial for both pollinators and biodiversity. Guerilla Gardening is the act of gardening on land that gardeners do not have the rights to cultivate, such as abandoned sites, areas that are not being cared for or are simply nature deprived.
Guerilla warfare? Nah let's try Guerilla Wildflower! Guerrilla Wildflowering is our version of activism for nature that can be carried out at home in your garden or on your local lockdown strolls.
Consider making enough to share with friends and family, they make for lovely gifts! Inspire others to make their own seed bombs too so we can maximise the collective positive impact on our environment.
We're also focused on the idea that not only is it fundamentally important to take action for our environment but we know it can be beneficial for mental wellbeing to be outdoors as well as being proactive for the climate. Sounds good all round right? So give why not give it a try, join us for some Guerrilla Wildflowering!
Sending Love, Light & Wildflowers,
The Earthy Cailíní
Use code 'EARTHY' for a 10% discount on seeds with @blooming_native