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Plantable Seed Bomb Easter Eggs

March 07, 2016

Plantable Seed Bomb Easter Eggs

Have A Blooming Easter

Colorful plantable seed bomb Easter eggs make a lovely basket -- and an awesome candy-free egg hunt idea.

Colorful plantable seed bomb Easter eggs make a lovely basket -- and an awesome candy-free egg hunt idea.

This spring, fashion a colorful basket full of plantable Easter egg-shaped seed bombs. Made of recycled paper and the seeds of your choice, they’re a perfect kid-friendly craft for Easter or Earth Day. (They also make great eco-friendly wedding or party favors.) Make and enjoy through the holiday then plant away. We love the idea that these “eggs” bloom into something wonderful—a pollinator-friendly wildflower garden. (Psst… if you’re looking for a candy-free egg hunt idea, you just hit the jackpot!) Read on for step-by-step instructions and our helpful hints.

To make the seed bombs, start with the recycled paper of your choice. They're a great way to repurpose old newspapers or even your used Wrappily wrapping paper; newsprint-based papers like this will make a natural-looking grey egg. For brown eggs, up-cycle kraft shopping bags. For colorful eggs, start with brightly hued construction paper scraps. If you aren’t making the seed bombs for Easter, it’s a fabulous way to recycle the colorful paper “grass” from the bottom of your Easter baskets, just like we did for this colorful basket right here.

Pro Tip: For more color, recycle your Easter basket grass to make colorful, plantable seed bombs -- and just in time for Earth Day.

Pro Tip: For more color, recycle your Easter basket grass to make colorful, plantable seed bombs -- and just in time for Earth Day.

Next choice is the seeds. We suggest enlisting the help of your local garden center to select a pollinator-friendly wildflower mix that is native to your area. Minimally, be sure to ask if the commercially packaged mixes they sell contain any known plants that may be invasive to your area. A good selection of blooms and colors will attract a mix of honey bees, butterflies, and birds to enjoy and observe for months to come.

Sprouting! How fun to plant your Easter "eggs." These seed bombs were made of recycled Wrappily newsprint wrapping paper—love this idea for a plastic-free, candy-free egg hunt.

Sprouting! How fun to plant your Easter "eggs." These seed bombs were made of recycled Wrappily newsprint wrapping paper—love this idea for a plastic-free, candy-free egg hunt. 


How to Make Plantable Seed Bomb Easter Eggs:

SEED BOMBS STEP 1: Soak Paper

Plantable Seed Bomb Easter Eggs - Step 1: Soak Paper

Tear paper into bits and cover generously with water. Let soak for several hours. Newsprint, including Wrappily, will turn grey. Use colored construction paper for brighter colored eggs.

 

SEED BOMBS STEP 2: Blend into a Slurry

Plantable Seed Bomb Easter Eggs - Step 2: Blend slurry

Pulp the paper using a countertop or immersion high-powered blender. Be careful not to burnout motor. If mixture is too thick, add more water. Work in batches if necessary.

 

SEED BOMBS STEP 3: Strain the Slurry

Plantable Seed Bomb Easter Eggs - Step 3: Strain Slurry

Strain the slurry. Line colander with cheesecloth or a piece of thin newsprint. As mix gets drier, you can turn out directly into colander and press gently. Do not squeeze completely dry, the goal here is just to remove visible water.

 

SEED BOMBS STEP 4: Add Seeds

Plantable Seed Bomb Easter Eggs - Step 4: Add Seeds

Put pulp back into your bowl. Add seeds and incorporate with your hands. For extra decoration, mix in dried flower petals or tea leaves. 

Note: You want the pulp mix to have enough moisture in it to be able to shape and mold it. If it's too dry, it will crack and not hold together. Simply add a bit of water back if this happens.

 

SEED BOMBS STEP 5: Place into egg mould

Plantable Seed Bomb Easter Eggs - Step 5: Add to Egg Mould

Portion out an approximate amount to fill each egg mould. Hand shape, gently squeezing out extra moisture. Place into egg, snap shut, and give it a good shake to encourage the mix to take on the shape of the mold. Open and repeat: remove paper egg, squeeze a bit more water out with fingertips, being careful to maintain egg shape, return to mold and shake. You may need to repeat process one more time, until you have a firm and relatively dry paper egg.

 

SEED BOMBS STEP 6: Dry

Plantable Seed Bomb Easter Eggs - Step 6: Air Dry

Air dry for a day or two out of direct sunlight. Drying times may differ depending on humidity.

Note: if placed in direct sun, seeds will be encouraged to sprout.

 

🌱 Happy Sprouting 🌱