How the Seed Library Works
A seed library collects and stores seeds and shares them with members of the community for free. Seeds may be from regional seed companies, donated from gardeners who have grown locally adapted varieties of edibles, or wildflowers that serve as nectar and host plants for pollinators. Seed libraries encourage biodiversity and decrease our reliance on major seed companies. This helps combat seed monocultures which threaten the world's food supply.
Similar to a normal library, gardeners "borrow" seeds from the seed library at planting time. At the end of the growing seasons, they save the seeds from the plants and return a portion of the seeds to the library.
Why seed libraries are important?
Four giant companies control more than 60% of the world’s seed supply > industrial monocultures = decreased biodiversity
Saving and sharing seeds, particularly locally adapted varieties, helps us build a more secure food supply
Providing seeds for free also encourages our community to learn and practice gardening and the art of growing your own food
How do I ‘check out’ seeds?
You may take up to 3 packets of seeds per week (honor system). The seed packets are FREE! If your plant grows successfully, consider collecting the seeds and donating them back to the Seed Library. If you would like to be a Seed Steward and help us maintain and grow our collection, please contact us.
I am a professor at Eckerd. Can I get seeds for my class?
We welcome partnerships with the academic community and many professors have used seeds for class plantings. If you would like seeds for your class, please let us know so that we can prepare packets in bulk for your class.
Where do seeds come from?
Seeds have come from a variety of places including regional seed companies as well as staff and faculty donations. Over time, we hope to build a community of seed stewards at Eckerd College who are committed to collecting and donating locally adapted varieties of seeds to the seed library. In addition, we will apply to seed companies for donations. You can see the current inventory of seeds in the embedded Seed Catalog below, which shows categories of seeds, varieties, special features (e.g. nectar or host plants for wildflowers), and the number of seed packets available. Seeds will be updated seasonally.
How is the seed library organized?
The Seed Library is organized into the following categories:
Edibles (vegetables, fruits) are further divided by Family, as shown below:
Can I donate seeds to the collection?
Yes! Whether you have extra seeds from a seed packet that you don't need, or if you have collected seeds from an existing plant, we are happy to take donations. Donations help us to make sure the collection is sustainable and contains locally-adapted varieties of plants that grow well in central Florida. Only non-invasive seeds will be added to the collection. You can use the Florida Invasive Plant species mobile field guide to determine if a plant is invasive. In addition, only open-pollinated and non-hybrid species are accepted but hybrid seed packets are also welcome. If you do donate seeds, please provide the following details to the extent possible so that we can share accurate information about donated seeds.
Common Name
Scientific Name
Grower's Name (optional) or seed company (if packet)
Location of harvest
Year
Days to maturity
Notes/story behind seed (if applicable)
Seed purity confidence
Pollination (open/cross/hybrid)
Seeds should be dry and ready for planting, and can be submitted in a sealed envelope, plastic baggie, or other sealed container. Drop off donations at the Circulation Desk in the Library. If you are interested in being a Seed Steward, please let us know.
Seed Savers Exchange offers a handy guide to saving seeds that you can refer to when collecting information for your seeds. In addition, here are videos on saving seeds so you can start participating in seed saving yourself:
Want to learn more about saving seeds? The following organizations are great starting points for more research.
Working Food is a nonprofit organization that cultivates and sustains a local food community through collaboration, economic opportunity, education, and seed stewardship. The Southern Seed School provides info on seed saving and periodic seed socials to connect with other seed savers in Florida.
Seed Savers Exchanges aims to conserve and promote America's culturally diverse but endangered garden and food crop heritage for future generations by collecting, growing, and sharing heirloom seeds and plants.
A nonprofit organization focusing on the exchange of knowledge toward the preservation of southern heirloom plant varieties.
A non-profit based out of Tucson, Arizona that seeks to find, protect and preserve the seeds of the people of the Greater Southwest so that these arid adapted crops may benefit all peoples and nourish a changing world.