SEED BOMBING - The Best way
to grow trees is Seed Dispersal. But dispersing seeds alone sometimes can have very less percentage of success as seeds are taken away
by Ants, Birds and other insects. Hence placing Seed Balls aka Seed Bomb is the best
way to make sure that the Percentage of success of the germination of the seeds
are more.
Seed Bombs or
Seed Balls as commonly known, are a simplest way to introduce tree plantation
in areas, that are deforested for wood or by natural disasters or due to
man-made disasters like forest fire or illegal cutting of trees.
Seed Bombing
not only helps in growing trees for oxygen but also helps support a complete
Ecosystem.
Our Forests
are usually divided in different Zones.
Core area
which is highly protected and people are not allowed to enter without reasons.
Such places are well protected because of the wildlife that involves flora and
fauna.
Buffer zone
which again falls under intense protection. These zones usually divide the
Cities and Villages from the Core areas.
Protected areas
with Sustainable use of natural resources where people are allowed to live
using sustainable means of living. People use these areas for farming and
cultivation and also enter such zones without many restrictions.
These zones are
prone to people cutting wood for their daily needs or sometimes they are cut
for illegal trades of wood leading to deforestation.
Seed Bombing
is done in such zones where there is deforested land due to above mentioned
reasons.
Seeds Bombs
are made atleast 15 to 20 days before the rains so that they dry completely.
Seed bombing
is a simple 3 step process:
Collect seeds of all kind of
fruits and Vegetables that you eat during summer time (from March to May).
Collect seeds of trees that grow and are native in Maharashtra such as
Mango, Chikoo, Lemon, Oranges, Sweet Lime, Jamun, Ber, Litchi, Jackfruit,
Water Melon, Papaya, Custard-apple, etc.
For other States in
India, you should know
the trees that are native to your state. Collect Seeds of those trees only.
For
eg: You cannot grow Apples in Maharashtra, so you can collect and send apples
seeds to your friends in Himachal Pradesh or Jammu & Kashmir.
Wash these seed properly and dry them
in indirect Sunlight where it is warm like Balconies, Terrace or windowsill.
Please do not place the seeds in direct sunlight as it can harm the seed. Collect
them in Dry containers.
In the Month of May or atleast
15 days before the rains, the process of making of the Seed Bombs starts.
Take
3 portions of Mud and 1 portion of compost/dry powdered manure. Dry mix them first without adding any water. Once it is properly dry mixed, start adding little water to the mixture with constant mixing. Once
you get a Mud dough, you are ready to make seed bombs.
Take little ready mixture/dough in your hand,
depending on the size of the seed. Use minimum mixture only to cover the seed properly. Introduce one seed in it. Now roll it in
your palm to make a ball like a Ladoo (Hindi word).
Keep
these Seed balls for drying in a tray. Do not use a newspaper sheet in the tray
as it will soak the water from the ball and the seed bomb can form cracks. Let
it dry naturally. Place the tray in indirect sunlight and also avoid night/early morning dew falling on them.
Wait for the first rains... Once the first rain hits the
City, travel to nearby areas and place the seed bombs in deforested land
or areas where there is scope of tree plantation.
If Possible, mark the Geolocations of the places where Seed bombing is carried out and visit every 15
days to check on your seed bombs.
Many People ask what are the chances of trees growing from the seed balls??
This process is well tested and very effective across the world. Yet there could be three things that can happen to a seed ball, but all three are beneficial.
1. A Tree might grow out of seed ball and live for 100 years.
If this happens it will help environment forever.
2. A Tree might grow out of seed ball and live for few years and die.
If this happens, atleast the tree helps in Nitrogen fixation and help the soil and the environment for those few years.
3. A Tree might not grow and the seed decomposes in the mud.
If this happens, the seed will help form compost after degrading in the soil.
Let Every Seed go to the Wild. It will help in some or the other way.
By Saving your Environment you are only Saving
Yourself.
- Vikas Mahajan, Founder, Ffroge
"Seeds are not meant to be thrown in the garbage. They are Treasures and they have a tree in them" - Vikas Mahajan, Founder, Ffroge.
“Waiting for someone else to take care of your Environment is a waste of time” – Vikas Mahajan, Founder, Ffroge.