Westerly Sun Column | The Seed Library is Open for Business!

Despite a bit of a cold snap the other week, it’s been an astonishingly mild winter. It’s actually hard to believe that we’re already ticking down the days until spring! If you want to grow your own vegetables or flowers this year, it’s also a good time to start planning those out and gathering the seeds and supplies you need to make your dream garden a reality. Before you head to the nursery to buy seeds, you may want to swing by the library for a visit – we have most of what you need to get started.

A couple of years ago we launched our Seed Library, and it has just been restocked thanks to generous community donations and volunteers.  You may be asking: “What on earth is a seed library”? Well, it’s more or less what it sounds like:  a collection of seeds – veggies, fruits, and flowers –  that are being shared with the public, free of charge. Westerly Library and Wilcox Park cardholders may borrow up to 10 seed envelopes per visit (each envelope includes a small pinch of seeds, enough for 2-4 plants), and non-cardholders may borrow up to 5 envelopes. If you are eligible for a card, but don’t currently have one, you can sign up for one in a matter of minutes!

You may also be wondering what it means to “borrow” seeds. After all, you can’t exactly return a seed that you’ve just planted in the ground, as you would a book that you just read. It’s true, we don’t expect you to return the same seeds you borrow, but you CAN contribute back to the seed library in a number of ways. The best option is to save seeds from your healthiest plants and donate them back to the Seed Library at the end of the season. In addition to saved seeds, we always accept donations of new or opened non-GMO seed packets. Contributing back in this way helps the seed library to be self-sustaining, so we can continue to provide the community with free seeds for years to come.

If you stop by the library tomorrow, Tuesday the 14th, we’re giving out free seed starting pots and pellets (while supplies last) to help you get your garden started! We also have the resources you need, like copies of the RI planting calendar and a huge selection of gardening books and manuals. Finally, we’ll have a number of informative presentations this spring, starting with “Fundamentals of Vegetable Gardening” with Master Gardener William Baddelely this Wednesday at 6pm. This particular program takes place via Zoom, so contact cskobrak@westerlylibrary.org for a link to the meeting. If you want something sooner, check out the Westerly Library and Wilcox Park YouTube Channel, where you’ll find recordings of past gardening presentation.

Happy planting!

By Cassie Skobrak, Reference Librarian