Examine individual changes

'{{sections|date=August 2014}} {{merge|Seed bombing|date=June 2014}} [[File:Seed bomb aka Seed ball (Guerilla gardening).jpg|right|thumb|Seed ball]] '''Seed balls''', also known as "earth balls", {{nihongo||粘土 団子|nendo dango|lead=yes}}, ''boule de graines'' in French, consist of a variety of different [[seed]]s rolled within a ball of [[clay]], preferably [[volcanic]] plastic red clay. Into this medium various additives may be included, such as [[humus]] or [[compost]]. These are placed around the seeds, at the center of the ball, to provide [[microbial]] [[inoculant]]s. Cotton-fibres or liquefied paper are sometimes mixed into the clay in order to strengthen it, or liquefied paper mash coated on the outside to further protect the clay ball during sowing by throwing, or in particularly harsh habitats. The technique for creating seed balls was rediscovered by Japanese [[natural farming]] pioneer [[Masanobu Fukuoka]].<ref name="NPR article"/> {{citation needed span|text=The technique had been used in ancient times in the Middle East, Egypt and parts of North Africa. The technique was also used, for instance, in ancient Egypt to repair farms after the annual spring flooding of the Nile.|date=December 2012}} In modern times, during the period of the Second World War, this Japanese government plant scientist working in a government lab, Fukuoka, who lived on the mountainous island of Shikoku, wanted to find a technique that would increase food production without taking away from the land already allocated for traditional rice production.<ref name="One–Straw Rev 1978"/><ref name="The Natural Way of Farming 1987"/> {{citation needed span|text=He read extensively and came across mention of the ancient technique|date=December 2012}} which thrived in the volcanic rich soils of Japan. To make a seed ball, generally about 5 measures of red clay by volume are combined with one measure of seeds. The balls are formed between 10mm and 80mm (about 0.4 to 3.15 inches) in diameter.<ref name="patent - advanced"/> The patent has been deemed unenforceable throughout the world because of the ancient practice. Seed balls have use in nearly any region where plants can grow: for reseeding ecosystems into areas of man-made deserts, avoiding seed eating insects and animals and protecting seeds until rains fall to soak the clay ball and stimulate the seeds. Seeds contained in such balls then germinate in ideal conditions for each climate/region. Seed balls have become a tool for [[guerilla gardening]].<ref name="LA Times Pancake Poop">{{cite web | url=http://www.latimes.com/local/la-hm-guerrilla29-2008may29-story.html#page=1 | title=Guerrilla gardener movement takes root in L.A. area | publisher=[[L.A. Times]] | date=29 May 2008 | accessdate=12 June 2014 | author=Robinson, Joe}}</ref> ==See also== *[[The One-Straw Revolution]] ==References== {{reflist|refs= <ref name="NPR article"> {{cite news|last=Adler|first=Margot|title=Environmentalists Adopt New Weapon: Seed Balls|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103129515|accessdate=November 9, 2011|newspaper=NPR|date=April 15, 2009}} </ref> <ref name="patent - advanced"> [http://www.freepatentsonline.com/EP0885554.pdf Mixtures by Fukuoka Masanobu in his patent for advanced seedballs, titled "Paper/seed-unified planting seed unit and preparation process thereof"] </ref> <ref name="One–Straw Rev 1978"> {{citation | last = {{Nihongo|Fukuoka|福岡}} | first = {{Nihongo|Masanobu|正信}} | author-mask = | origyear = 1st publ. in Japanese 1975 Sept. {{Asiantitle|自然農法・わら一本の革命|shizen nōhō・wara ippon no kakumei||j}} | others = translation:&nbsp;Chris Pearce, Tsune Kurosawa, and Larry Korn (ed.) | date = 1978 May | title = The One-Straw Revolution An Introduction to Natural Farming | language = | edition = | place = Emmaus, Pennsylvania | publisher = Rodale Press | url = | isbn = 0878572201 }} </ref> <ref name="The Natural Way of Farming 1987"> {{citation | last = {{Nihongo|Fukuoka|福岡}} | first = {{Nihongo|Masanobu|正信}} | author-mask = | origyear = 1st publ. in Japanese 1975 Dec. {{Asiantitle|自然農法　緑の哲学の理論と実践|shizen nōhō　midori no tetsugaku no riron to jissen||j}}; 1st Eng. tr. ed. 1985 | others = translation:&nbsp;Frederic P Metreaud | date = 1987 Dec. | title = The Natural Way of Farming The Theory and Practice of Green Philosophy | language = | edition = rev. | place = Tokyo | publisher = Japan Publications | url = | isbn = 978-0-87040-613-3 }} </ref> }} ==External links== {{commons category|Seed balls}} * [http://www.yokohama-artproject.com/rmp/english/about/claymethod.html "What's a clay ball?" and "Clay Ball Method" advice derived directly from Fukuoka Masanobu by The RainMaker Project, a major project in Africa by Yokohama Art Project, Japanese NGO.] * [http://www.freepatentsonline.com/EP0885554.pdf Masanobu Fukuoka re-invented seedballs (in this era), this is his patent for advanced seedballs, titled "Paper/seed-unified planting seed unit and preparation process thereof"; There's his previous earlier Japanese patent for less advanced seedballs - where's that?] * [http://web.archive.org/web/20060411200531/www.seedballs.com/3seedpa.html Making Seed Balls, by Jim Bones, he learned personally from Fukuoka Masanobu and from his books.] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWyduWsoy8o] The Seed Ball Story, a video by Jim Bones about desert <ref></ref>habitat restoration using seed balls in Big Bend National Park, Texas. * [http://web.archive.org/web/20060107163237/http://www.seedballs.com/tblcon.html] The Lost Seed Ball Pages by Jim Bones, A complete overview of seed ball production and uses, including instructions for making a von Bachmayr Rotary Drum. * [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4-bwW8PWI0 "Seed Balls by Masanobu Fukuoka 1997" YouTube 18:43 long video, caption: "Natural Farmer Masanobu Fukuoka conducts a workshop for making seed balls at his natural farm and forest in Japan."] * [http://www.tve.org/ho/doc.cfm?aid=1401&lang=English Making Hay with Clay - Greece] * [http://www.seedball.com How to make seedballs] * [http://seed-balls.com/how-to/details/how-to-choose-your-seed-balls A discussion of the pros and cons of different seed ball recipes] * [http://sites.google.com/site/onseedballs/ 'On Seedballs', a website dedicated to seedballs] * [http://guerrillagardening.org/community/index.php?board=293.0 Seed Bomb R&D forum come read and discuss about seed balls.] [[Category:Horticultural techniques]] [[Category:Ecological techniques]] [[Category:Organic gardening]] [[Category:Seeds]]'