Unique seed ball machine created

A marble size projectile arcs through the air before landing in the middle of a large cluster of hard-to-reach vegetation.

After embedding itself in the ground it waits for rain to break it apart allowing its innards to germinate and start growing into a tree.

The projectile was a seed ball, created in a unique milling machine crafted by MenzShed Kapiti, based at Waikanae Beach, north of Wellington.

Kapiti Biodiversity Project rare dune plant project leader Stephen Whitton approached MenzShed Kapiti and inquired about a way of creating seed balls.

Ray Watling, Terry Twomey, John Hope and Nigel Clough took on the project and created a machine fashioned out electric golf trundler parts, a large plastic drum, various shaped wheels, scraps of metal, electronics, car battery and more.

"It's a simple concept but very effective," Mr Twomey said.

Personnel from the Kapiti Biodiversity Project can now put fine clay, sheep pellets, plant seed and water into the drum before turning the machine on, which will make the drum go round a number of times and led to the creation of seed balls which can be easily scooped out.

After a drying out process the seed balls are ready to throw into hard to reach areas such as the Paekakariki Escarpment, or difficult areas such as gorse or blackberry covered paddocks where they slowly disintegrate and hopefully sprout new seedlings, Kapiti Biodiversity Project programme manager Glenda Robb said.

"We think people, especially children, may find it fun to toss seed balls off the escarpment from the Te Araroha Trail or find a blackberry patch to throw them into and then photograph over succeeding years and see what comes up."

Mr Whitton, who expressed his gratitude to MenzShed Kapiti, said the machine "looks awesome".

He said seed balls should be "quite firm" because of the clay and the dryness.

"When they hit the ground they might break but basically they are designed to dissolve when it rains.

"Each seed ball will be one type of seed [such as manuka, kanuka, flax and more]."

He hoped other other environmental groups in Kapiti could take advantage of the machine as well as school groups.