Seed
Balls
Rehorning Texas has made custom seed balls specifically for creating habitat and supporting the food web of the Texas Horned Lizard. Made from a whopping 100-species seed mix of native Texas wildflowers and grasses, this will not only help in supporting current horned lizard range areas but is particularly beneficial to areas absent of horned lizards but directly adjacent to its current range. By greatly increasing biodiversity, this mix also aids in helping many other prairie species that rely on these native grasses and wildflowers.
Even more ecoregional seed balls for horned lizards are on the way!
For inquiries about custom flat-sided seed balls for planting on steep slopes or custom seed ball mixes contact dusty@rehorningtexas.com.
During the 1930s, Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese microbiologist and farmer, repopularized the technique of making Tsuchi Dango, or 'Earth Dumplings', with a mixture of earth and seeds to be used in horticultural practices. The clay not only protects the seed from being eaten by predators, it also carries beneficial nutrients to help the young seedlings as they begin to germinate and root into their new home. Seed-eating animals, like harvester ants and kangaroo rats, collect native grass and wildflower seed and the clay ball acts to keep the seeds safe until the right amount of rainfall is able to melt away the clay and allow water-imbibing to occur. The origins of seed balls are unknown but they have been used and documented in many areas of the world and as far back as the ancient Egyptians. It's possible that seed balls have been used since early humans began endeavoring into agriculture.
From the high desert short-grass prairies in the west to the tall grass prairies of the east, seed balls can be used anywhere and anytime of the year. Seed balls work best in areas that receive an average minimum of at least 10-12" of rainfall per year, which includes practically all of Texas, even most of Big Bend. Since the clay is acting as a form of protection for the seeds, the balls can sit for months waiting for the right time to begin germination. Typically, accumulative rain events with 3-5" of rainfall will break down the clay balls and expose the seeds to moisture and light. With the right amount of rain and the necessary temperature, seeds will begin to germinate.
A helpful tip for drier climes and drought plantings: Studies have shown that areas that mimic depressions in the ground from bison wallows or hoof prints create a more suitable microhabitat for seed germination. These pit-and-mound formations typically hold more water for longer periods of time, especially when clay is present in the soil and can even protect seeds from strong winds thus increasing success for survival from seed to established plant. You can create this on your own simply by using a shovel to create a small depression. Keep in mind that this shouldn't be a dramatic change to the topography and can still remain shallow to make an effective difference.
Live Plants Coming Soon:
We are growing native grasses and wildflowers for Texas Horned Lizard wildscaping and restoration!
We've done the work for you of researching and growing plants for horned lizard habitat and their food web! Whether you're restoring native plants to your backyard habitat or a larger ranch or conservation project, these plants will also give the leg-up needed in acting as nurse plants for nurturing surrounding seedlings. Using young live plants that are either hard to find or already present in a seed mix will compliment the biodiversity—and your efforts—and give the area a fuller look faster than just seeds alone and will more quickly satisfy a visual appeal within those landscapes.
What if you don't live near the current Texas Horned Lizard range? Not to worry, because if you're somewhere in Texas or in the Southern Great Plains, you're likely in the historic range of Texas Horned Lizards, and bringing the native plants back to those areas is possibly the single most powerful way to "Rehorn Texas". Additionally, our seedball mixes and live plants support many species within prairie habitats including, but not limited to, elk, pronghorn, box turtles, prairie dogs, bison, quail, native bees, lepidopterans (butterflies & moths), quail, and other grassland birds like meadowlarks, loggerhead shrikes, and dickcissels. When we are restoring habitats and food webs for one species, we are restoring for all species within the same ecological community.
Quantities are limited. For inquiries about plant species or if you are planning for a specific project email Lindsey at lindsey@rehorningtexas.com.
