Making wildflower bombs with the Locust Valley Garden Club

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Without a program in March or April because of coronavirus protocols, the Locust Valley Garden Club sent members instructions for a fun project to do at home. Getting out into the garden and playing with seeds and soil is a great way to sew a little happiness.

The project was based on an article in The New York Times on March 3, by Malia Wollan about making Wildflower Bombs. Apparently the idea started in Manhattan in the 1970s. Urban gardeners are still doing this to brighten up their cities. And it is even being done today, in the UK. Although it is illegal to cast the seeds on public property, or your neighbor’s yard, in the UK, the Bobbies sort of look the other way.

Locust Valley resident Kassie Miller Roth said she was interested in participating, since she has clay in her Locust Valley garden, a key ingredient in the formula. Adding seeds donated by Audrey Rydzewski, to her compost, Roth worked outside on table covered by plastic. She added the softened clay into the middle and hand blended the mix. She then made small balls and placed them on a cookie sheet to dry in the sun.

The size of the balls is relative, said Daniel Cunningham, a horticulturalist at Texas A&M. He recommends using one-part seeds, three parts clay and five parts compost and suggested that the “bombs” be small, about the size of a nickel or a dime.

When the wildflower seed bombs dried, Roth placed some of them in a wide circle around the foot of her flowering cherry tree. 

“Some will be going to Barbara’s Garden at the Locust Valley Library, and some will be tossed in hiking trails,” she said. 

In May, if people are still required to stay home, the club will introduce another project. The Locust Valley Garden Club meets the second Wednesday of the month at Bailey Arboretum’s manor house, in Lattingtown. The program fee of $15 and includes lunch. For information please contact Dean Yoder a at dvinteriors@yahoo.com.