The Eckerd College Seed Library collects, stores, and shares seeds with members of the community for free. It is located on the first floor of the Eckerd Library underneath the main stairwell.
NOTE: The Eckerd Seed Library is only available to the Eckerd community at this time while campus access remains restricted due to COVID.
The Seed Library provides more than 50 varieties of edibles and wildflower seeds are available for members of the community to borrow. Seeds are available for many vegetables and herbs suited for the spring and summer growing seasons, as well as numerous Florida wildflower seeds that can be used to start butterfly gardens and attract pollinators. Seeds have come from a variety of places including regional seed companies, librarians, staff, and faculty. This is a self-service collection where individuals can borrow up to three seed packets at a time. Seeds do not need to be returned, but some individuals might choose to give back to the collection by saving seeds from the plants they grow and donating them back to the collection.
To learn more about how the Eckerd Seed Library works, visit the What Is A Seed Library? page.
To view more information about specific plants in our collection, visit the Plant Profiles page.
To find more resources to support the development of your garden, visit the Gardening Resources page.
If you would like to get involved with the Seed Library, visit the Get Involved page.
Join our Eckerd Seed Library Group on Facebook
The Eckerd Seed Library was funded through an ASPEC Intergenerational Learning Grant in 2021.
Spring 2022 News
Spring 2022 Season
Spring seed packets available! See our Seed Catalog for a list of seed varieties that will be ready soon! All seeds have been donated through the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Seed Savers Exchange, the Hudson Valley Seed Company as well as members of the Eckerd community. We now have 37 varieties of seeds for the spring planting season.
If you have extra seed packets or locally harvested seeds from your garden to donate, feel free to drop them off at the Library Circulation desk.
Past events:
Grand Opening
The Seed Library is now open! Come check out some seeds.
Seeds at Sunset - UPDATE!
Due to guidance to avoid group gatherings, even if social distancing is observed, the Seeds at Sunset event will now be a grab-and-go DIY kit activity.
To allow us time to safely assemble the kits, they will be available for pickup in front of the library beginning Friday, April 23, at 2pm. Kits will be available until they are gone. If you registered for the event, we will hold a kit especially for you - please look for an email containing more details.
The kits will include everything you need to plant your seed and paint your pot, along with a few extra goodies!
The Triton melon, a hybrid seed developed by EarthWork Seeds in collaboration with Prof. Liza Conrad and her students in Biology.
Triton Melon Growing Challenge
The Triton Melon Growing Challenge invites novice and experienced gardeners to grow their very own Triton melon over the summer. Sign-up to participate using the link below and we will share Triton melon seeds before the spring planting season ends. Participants should track their progress and plan to share results to compare final melon weights, vine lengths, and offer growing tips for future growers.
Sign-up for the growing challenge is now closed. More details to be shared with those who sign up to participate.
Find out more about the Triton melon:
How Eckerd College helped build a more perfect cantaloupe (Tampa Bay Times, October 2019)
New Triton Canteloupe Development Nearly Complete (Eckerd News, April 2019)
For general information about growing melons, see our Melon Plant Profile.
Who We Are
Many thanks to the following students, work scholars, librarians, faculty, and staff who have helped advise and develop this project. We look forward to seeing the collection grow! For questions about the Seed Library, email seedlibrary@eckerd.edu.
Librarians
Jenica Ibarra
Alyssa Koclanes
Nancy Schuler
Kristin VanDiest
Students
Gianna-Rose D'Amico
Ashley Ebling
Olivia Jacobson
Paige Paddock
Isabel Redinger
Jake Rider
Calista Thompson
Cailey Williams
Madison Yezuita
Faculty & Staff Advisors
Hilary Flower
Jeff Goessling
Dave Himmelfarb
Tonia Krueger
Jonathan Prieto
