How Are Seed Bombs and Seed Balls Used?
A seed is simply an unformed plant enclosed within an outer protective covering. The actual formation of the seed inside the plant is normally part of the reproductive process of seed forming plants, such as the angiosperm and gymnosperm plants. A seed will normally contain one or two living cells called placenta and a nucleus, where it will grow before it eventually dies and drops off into the soil to germinate and produce the next crop.
Seed forming units are put under the sun for a period of time in order to cause them to germinate and grow. The germinating stage can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. The period of time varies widely between seeds, but it can take place from just a few hours to a few weeks depending on the type of seed. The period of time spent in the sun is also dependent on the time of year since summer heat slows down seed germination.
The outer protective cover of seeds protects them against damage caused by animals, fungi, insects and humans. The seed coat protects the embryo against cosmic rays and radiation from the sun as well as other environmental damage. The embryo can withstand extreme temperatures, such as those found on the ends of fertilized crops, but heat stress kills most seeds almost immediately. The process of heat stress is, what causes a seed to shrivel up.
The outer protective coat is made from protein and the inner seed coat is made of corn (or grain) fiber. Both proteins hold the moisture in the seed. The outer coating, also called the cuticle of a seed will darken as the seed matures while the center portion will remain the same as the embryo develops. The seed coat protects the germ from harmful organisms as well as damaging radiation and heat. After heat stress, most seeds will fall off the ovule.
Most seed balls are about the size of a golf ball with a thin string like material at the bottom that attaches the seed to the bottom of the seed ball. seed balls are usually coated with a thin film of water to protect the seeds. Water is necessary because the seeds are so small that they would burst if exposed to air directly. Seed balls are also called “bucky balls” after the golfer Nicklaus.
Many farmers use seed balls to germinate their crops. If you have never attempted to germinate seed balls, you should at least do it once to understand how it works. Seed balls can be used in just about any seed preparation procedure. Seeds can be sown in traditional garden soil with or without the use of a hand fork tongs. Some seeds can be even sown directly in the garden by using a small wooden spoon or a plastic shovel.
The main difference between a seed ball and a seed bomb is that the seed ball contains air. The seeds inside the seed ball are not subject to the same stresses that the seeds in a seed bomb face. As the seeds in seed balls mature they will begin to dry out and die. This will happen even faster if the seeds are contained within a plastic covering or a paper bag so they don’t dry out too much.
In addition to using seed balls and seed bombs there are many other ways to protect your plants from pests and diseases. Some of these include keeping weeds and unwanted vegetation away, eliminating some plant diseases, and providing protection for your plants from adverse weather conditions. One important thing to remember is that plants only grow best when they are given the proper nutrients, light, and water. So make sure that you give them the proper care that they need.