Seed Library

Welcome to the Community Seed Library

Gardening is a relaxing and enjoyable hobby that is beneficial to the community. The Seed Library was established to promote gardening in our city and to encourage gardeners to save their seeds. Even a few small seeds can make a huge difference!

The Seed Library is located inside Safety Harbor Public Library to the left of the circulation desk. Please ask a staff member if you can’t find it. A library card is required to use the Seed Library, so don’t hesitate to sign up for one when you come in. We encourage borrowers to donate seeds from their crops to help keep the Seed Library stocked for other borrowers. We accept donations year-round. Please contact shplref@cityofsafetyharbor.com for additional information.

Plants

How to Borrow Seeds

  • Seed packets are inside the envelopes in the seed library box near the checkout desk.
  • You may choose THREE packets of seeds in plastic baggies (full packets of seeds count as one packet).
  • If needed, use scrap paper to write down information about seeds. Do NOT remove information sheets in envelopes!
  • Please do not take the envelope! Only the seed packets inside.

Donation Guidelines

  1. Save seeds only from your best and healthiest plants (a guide to seed saving from the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange can be found here)
  2. Make sure the seeds are dry and clean of chaff
  3. Only return seeds from the plants that you know how to save properly. We suggest you try germinating them to ensure you are contributing viable seeds for others.
Seeds

Once you are ready to donate your seeds to the library, place them in clearly labeled envelopes. Please include the following information:

  1. Plant Name
  2. Year seeds were harvested
  3. Designate if easy, difficult, or advanced to grow

Drop off your labeled seeds in the seed donation box in the library lobby. We will add them to the collection to be shared with others. 

We also accept leftover commercial seeds. Commercial seeds in their original packet do not need to be labeled. We ask that donated seeds be no more than a year old.

Thank You to Our Donors

We would like to thank Southern Exposure, High Mowing Organic Seeds, and Burpee for their generous donations to our Seed Library.