WHAT IS A SEED LIBRARY?
Just as our “Community Garden” is actually located on the
individual lots of the Club members, our “Seed Library” can be thought of as
the collective efforts of Club members to share and save seeds among Club
members. Each Club member will have his
own ‘library’ hopefully in a box or something that he/she can easily carry to
seed exchanges. Collectively we will
attempt to expand our collective diversity of heirloom seeds native to our area
and share among the members.
HOW DOES THE LIBRARY WORK?
If I grow Swiss Chard, I can set aside one or two plants, let them go to seed and share these seeds with someone else for
seeds that I don’t have but want. I
advertise on the blog or face book both my need and the seed I have. Other members can respond.
Since the process of letting a plant go to seed can take
much more time than just growing and harvesting, it takes both more time and
more garden space to accomplish it. A
Seed Library has the potential of expanding seed production and maintaining
seed purity. If one member agrees to let
one plant go to seed, he will typically produce enough seed to supply several other
members. If several members each let a
different type plant go to seed and they plan ahead who will produce what, seed
production is greatly expanded.
Anyone with seeds to share can bring them to Club meetings
where a seed exchange can occur.
Potentially, seeds and particularly a wide diversity of seeds can become a valuable trade commodity.
Container Gardening requires special considerations that are different than in-ground gardens.
