Making tomato seed bombs and planting them same day in the vegetable garden.
Channel: Basalt to Bay Landcare Network Inc
Date: 2021-08-28

Seed bombing is easy and uses natural ingredients. 
Each bomb costs a few cents and if planted at the correct timing for spring 
(or whenever the growing season for seeds is where you are gardening) 
will produce strong seedlings direct where you put them. 

You can use your own home made compost instead of commercial compost. 
We use commercial compost to make ours because its sterile and we want to be sure we aren't introducing any weed seeds or plant diseases into the land with our seed bombs.
You can use any other liquid fertilizer you have including worm farm liquid. Just dilute it really well before you add to your seed bomb mix.
The Bentonite clay we buy is from Mildura, Victoria, Australia & comes in a 25kg sack - because we make a lot of seed bombs. 
We order it in from the AgWarehouse in Koroit. 
We give the store plenty of time to get it in so that it comes in on the truck load with the other agricultural Bentonite products from the supplier. That saves load miles.
As long as the sack of clay is stored in a dry place under cover, it will store for a long time between seed bomb making. Some people like to decant it into plastic lidded tubs & have it pre-mixed in the compost/clay blend without the liquid added, so they can take a small scoop and make a few seed bombs whenever the mood takes them. Some compost can have a bit of moisture in it, so leave the lid slightly ajar. Keep any cats away from the mixture or they will confuse it with a litter box!

Seed bombs do not need to be deep buried, just dropped into a divot in the soil as deep as the seed bomb is tall, and then pressed into the soil so there is soil contact with most of the seed bomb. You can scrap the soil you dug out over the top of the seed bomb too.
If you aren't planting your seed bombs the day they are made, they need to be dried out as quickly as possible. A dehydrator, a low oven, a sunny place - wherever you can put the seed bombs until they are hard & lacking moisture. If you don't, the seeds will germinate & try to grow. Drying them as quickly as possible stops the seeds inside germinating until you are ready to plant them.
Store any dried seed bombs in labeled paper bags in a warm dry place with good airflow in storage so they can continue to dry out. If planting dried seed bombs - plant as for the fresh ones. Once planted water them gently so the outer skin of the dried clay can start to dissolve and allow moisture to reach the seeds. Or plant them when its raining or when rain is expected. 
Some people place dried seed bombs where they are to grow and leave natural processes to activate them later. This technique can allow you to plant a larger area before rain comes, knowing the seed bombs are hard and protecting the seeds inside while they wait for rain.
All the best with your seed bomb making!