Welcome to the

Prince George Community Seed Library

A community partnership of

What is the Seed Library?

The Seed Library is a free program committed to increasing our ability to feed ourselves wholesome food by offering seeds and education. Through the time-honoured tradition of seed saving we celebrate biodiversity, nurture locally adapted plant varieties, and foster community resilience, self-reliance and a culture of sharing. The seed library operates on the honor system to maintain a collection of pure, healthy, viable seeds for the community to use. When you fill out a borrowing record and check out seeds, you automatically become a member of the Seed Library

We encourage all Seed Library members to learn basic seed-saving techniques. We encourage beginning seed savers to grow and return seeds labeled “easy” in the first year. (for example: lettuce, tomato, bean or peas) If you are unable to save your own seed, please consider donating a replacement packet or two of fresh, commercially grown, open- pollinated seed to keep our Seed Library stocked. Returning seed will allow us to keep the library well stocked.

All varieties of seeds are 'view only' on our 2024 Seed Library Catalogue and can not be ordered on our website. Seeds in stock in the Library are not guaranteed and may change throughout the season.

How to use the Seed Library

Our seed collection is located seasonally at both branches of the Prince George Public Library, Bob Harkins Branch at 888 Canada Games Way and the Nechako Branch at 6547 Hart Highway.

1. Browse & Borrow... select what plants you’d like to grow – then complete a borrowing record and return to the adult circulation desk. Members may borrow 5 packages of seeds with no more than 1 of each variety.

2. Sow & Grow...plant, tend, and enjoy your crop.

3. Learn & Share...attend one of our seed saving workshops to learn how to successfully save seeds for your own use and to return to the library.

4. Reap & Return... if you are able, harvest new seeds and return them to the library, to be borrowed by local gardeners next growing season. Visit our website for returned seed drop off information.

Seed Library Q&A

Q: What is the Prince George Community Seed Library?

The Seed Library is a free community seed initiative that provides an opportunity for local residents to grow their own healthy, affordable food. People can borrow seeds at no charge. Members plant, grow, and harvest plants while letting a few plants mature and return to seed. These new seeds are then returned to the library for the next growing season’s collection. By returning seeds from successful plants, local gardeners help sustain the library’s collection, as well as help cultivate seeds that are especially suited to Prince George’s growing conditions.

Q: What seeds do you have?

We have a selection of vegetable seeds you would traditionally see in a home garden, as well as herbs. We aim to have a few varieties in each category. All seeds are non-hybrid and organic where possible. Our seed suppliers are William Dam Seeds, West Coast Seeds and by donation from local growers.

Q: How many seeds can I check out?

You are now part of a community of gardeners and we ask that you respect that the Seed Library is a shared public resource. Please borrow responsibly; borrow only what you intend to plant, grow and save/return. We request that you borrow up to five packages and do not exceed one package per plant variety. Each package will have 10-20 seeds.

Q: Are seeds available year round?

The Seed Library will have materials available seasonally at the Prince George Public Library. More information about when to plant various seeds can be found in our 2024 Seed Library Catalogue .

Q: How do I properly save seeds after harvest?

The methods for saving seeds will depend on the variety of plant. Some seeds are quite easy to save. Most of the seeds in this collection have little risk of cross-pollination, so when you plant seeds next year you’ll get the same fruits or vegetables that you got last year. These seeds also require fewer steps to successfully save seeds. Some seeds, like those in the squash and pumpkin family, require a bit more work to successfully save. These seeds easily cross-pollinate and need plenty of space between plants; they also may need to be hand-pollinated. We encourage home gardeners to save seeds from the "easy" plants: tomatoes, lettuce, beans and peas.

Q: Do I have to "return" seeds?

We encourage you to try your best to save your seeds and return some to the library. Seed saving is new to many of us and everyone has varying levels of knowledge and experience. We will provide as much guidance and support as possible, and understand that growing conditions may affect your ability to save and return your seeds. If you are unable to save seeds, it would be helpful to us to hear why and we will factor this into the seeds that are provided in the future.

Q: When do I have to return saved seeds to the library?

You can return seeds at one of our fall seed workshops, after you’ve completed the seed saving process. After saving your seeds, please package and label them — indicating the species, variety, year saved, and any other information you’d like to share with others. The Seed Library stores the seeds in the fall and makes them available again next spring.

Q: What if I am unable to return seeds?

We understand that seeds are not a typical lending item and many things can affect whether your seeds grow into plants or are able to live long enough to grow seeds.

If you are unable to return the seeds, we would like to know why so that we are able to improve the seeds and information next year. Did the seeds simply not grow? Was there a pest that caused a lot of damage? Did the plant grow but never produce seeds? Please complete the short confidential survey that we email/send to you in the fall and explain what happened as best you can.

Q: Is there supporting information for the seed library?

The Seed Library provides access to information to support our gardeners in growing their own food. Please visit the Prince George Seed Library webpage for workshop information, links and resources to assist you with seed saving.The Prince George Public Library also has a wide variety of books of interest to gardeners.

Q: Who are the Prince George Master Gardeners?

Master Gardeners are individuals with a passion for horticulture, education and giving back to the community by sharing their knowledge of environmentally sound gardening practices with various community groups and organizations, through clinics, seminars, public displays and special projects. Prince George Master Gardeners operate under the David Douglas Botanical Garden Society.

Q: Who do I contact for more information?

For more information, please contact us at pgseedlibrary@ddbotgarden.bc.ca

To get on our mailing list, please contact us at pgseedlibrary@ddbotgarden.bc.ca