One very interesting technique that Fukuoka developed was seeds in closed-in clay balls.

Fukuoka would throw the clay balls onto the land and let them lie there until rains came and they germinated. The seeds were protected from insects and from birds because of the clay and germinated when they were ready to do so.

He used this technique in growing rice but also in reforestation.

A wide diversity of different seeds were collected and placed in a cement mixer. A fine clay powder was applied, and at the same time, bit by bit, a water mist was sprayed onto the mix. As the seeds rotated in the mixer and the mist was sprayed, more powder was added, and the seeds grew into clay pellets.

Then he threw the pellets into the Sahara desert and waited for the rains.

He said that only 0.1% of these seeds may germinate, but those seeds that did germinate would be an indication of which genus of seeds to keep trying.

Clay balls can also be made by hand. Take some fine powdered clay and add a pinch of seeds, and then add water and make the clay into a chapatti dough-like consistency by kneading it over and over again. Then, small pieces can be broken off and rolled into balls, which should be dried. Any seeds can be used. This is very much an experimental technique and should be tried in different contexts. But as far as reforestation is concerned, it has a huge potential.